Prophecy
by NamelessSaint
Summary: The first wicked storm of the season is roiling through Arendelle, leaving Elsa pondering if there is more to this storm than meets the eye. The storm signals the beginning of a long ago forgotten prophecy, and the Queen is at its center. Warnings: creature!elsa, dragon!elsa, g!p elsa. Rated M for dark themes and strong sexual content; Elsanna.
1. Chapter 1

Rain pelted the windows and furiously drained in the cast iron gutters. Leaves blew in all directions and pelted the sides of the castle, slapping the building and creating a sensation of drowning. Elsa stared out of the window at the storm, and worried over its ominous meaning as the hours passed, refusing to let up. She glanced up at the swaying branches of a nearby tree, imagining that she could hear the creaking of its bark as they wavered back and forth.

The Queen of Arendelle glanced at the dying flames in her fireplace, and quickly moved to throw more pieces of wood on the burning embers. She returned to her desk, making the decision to try to continue work, but as she raised her pen a flare of lightening flashed in the room, and the subsequent thunder had her moving to her window again.

Elsa smiled to herself and counted off the seconds. "One…two…three…four… five…"

The doors to her study suddenly crashed open and an out-of-breath Anna pressed herself against one of them, her eyes wide. "Did you hear that? Yikes."

Elsa turned from the window and smiled warmly at her sister. "Five."

Anna made the pretense of straightening out her skirt. "That long? Remind me to run next time."

The Queen held out her hand and Anna took it. "Still afraid of storms, Anna."

The princess huffed. "Me? Not really, I just came to make sure you were okay?"

"I see." Elsa turned to the window again. "This is the first major storm of the season. I can't believe how violent it is."

Anna glanced at her sister before her attention was taken by the swirling storm outside. "Yes, and on the full moon, too."

The Queen was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

"Why, yes."

A large branch was bent back at a particularly large gust of wind and it snapped like a twig. Both the Queen and the Princess watched as the branch fell on a marble statue in the garden below, sending it crashing to the grass. It splintered into many pieces.

Queen Elsa's mouth dropped slightly as another flash of lightening lit up room. She pulled Anna a little closer to herself, and let out a shaky breath. "My, my. We are in for a jarring night, aren't we?"

Anna turned towards her sister. "What is it? You've never been afraid of the rain before?"

Elsa continued to stare at the storm outside and after a few moments felt a stirring within herself. As if something inside her suddenly clicked into place, and the feeling left her a little confused. She met Anna's frank stare. "Oh, I'm not afraid, Anna. But it almost feels like before. You know, before everything in Arendelle returned to normal—when I caused that horrible winter."

"You don't think you caused this storm, do you, Elsa?"

"That I caused this weather? No, no. That's not what I meant. But I feel like I'm one with the storm. Like I know it's intent—what it portends for us all—a foreshadowing, so to speak." Elsa seemed to struggle somewhat, and a shadow passed over her pale features. But the moment ended as soon as it began, and the shadow lifted. She took a deep breath and shook her head, chuckling. "Listen to me, will you? I sound like my old nanny."

Anna's smile was tentative, and then she saw how Elsa chuckled while shaking her head. The lighter mood was infectious, and soon she was grinning as well. "Haha! It was a valiant effort, Elsa, but it didn't work. I'm not scared."

The Queen laughed. "I would certainly hope so, Anna. I wasn't trying to frighten you." She led her sister over to the large fireplace and sat her down on one of the over-stuffed chairs, much like a parent does with a young child. "There. Comfy?"

Anna adored the attention, craved for it. Although things were still far from complete normalcy, Elsa was doing a lot better since the snow incident, and devoted much of her time to making sure that her sister knew that she was loved—a far cry from her icy past—and the princess let her dote.

She looked up as Elsa brought over a blanket and wrapped it about her shoulders. "Thank you, Elsa."

The Queen smiled and then returned to her desk. "I can't believe how much paperwork there is—running a Kingdom. Although I'm glad father prepared me for it."

Anna lounged lazily in the chair. "How did he do that?" She was curious as Elsa rarely talked about their parents.

"My tutors saw that I read law books and kept up on all the royal decrees. It was quite a chore, believe me."

"Oh, I do. Funny, I didn't have many tutors, only a few; and they never made me read books I didn't want to."

"You weren't raised to be a Queen." As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. "I'm sorry, but that didn't come out as I planned."

Anna merely nodded. "Oh, I already know that. Just as I'm sure you didn't learn the violin or harpsichord—or learn how to ride a horse."

Elsa offered her sister a lopsided grin. "Touché, princess. Legal journals were my friends growing up—even after, well, you know."

Anna looked over to where her sister sat at the large desk that had once belonged to their father. She looked small in the high-back chair, pen in hand, and wearing a noticeable frown. "You work too hard."

The Queen leaned over to a small table near the desk and uncorked a small decanter. "Brandy, Anna?"

The princess shook her head. "Not before dinner, Elsa."

"This was father's favourite."

Anna turned her head and studied her sister. "How do you know?"

"There were quite a few times when he would come to my rooms to check on my lessons smelling just like this." Elsa downed the libation in one swift move. "It makes me mellow and whets my appetite."

Anna snorted. "I bet it does. How much longer until supper?"

Elsa scribbled in a ledger as she poured another portion of the brandy. "It ought to be ready within the half-hour."

The light in the room began to dim as night approached. So Elsa stood and lit all the candles in the room. They cast an eerie light about them and their luminosity begged at Elsa. She returned to her desk and tried to discern what was happening with her and around her. It almost felt like an old memory—one deep down inside that required a thorough dusting and cleansing. _What can't I remember? What is it about this storm, on this day, at this time?_

Anna watched Elsa out of the corner of her eye and noted how she sat back in the chair while still remaining somewhat rigid in her movements. The princess threw off the blanket and walked over to her sister's desk, sitting down in one of the two chairs in front of it. She watched Elsa work for a few minutes before speaking. "You're like him, you know."

"Like who?" Elsa didn't raise her head and continued to write.

"Father."

The Queen's pen stopped in mid-motion, and she let out a small sigh. "It is still difficult for me to talk about them." She eyed her sister for a few moments and realized that Anna meant no harm by the observation. Anna was just being… Anna.

"How am I like him?"

"You brood, just like him. Sometimes it takes a lot just to make you smile. Oh, I don't know, Elsa. But you remind me of him. More so with each passing day."

Elsa smiled and laid her pen on the table. "I miss them so much."

"Me, too."

At that moment they both heard the sound of a bell being wrung in the hallway; Anna's stomach growled at the sound. Elsa laughed and stood, offering her arm to her younger sister.

"Shall we to dinner, princess?"

Anna snorted again before giggling. "Let's go, I'm starving."

As they walked out of the room Elsa peered over her shoulder at the storm again. There was just something about it that disturbed her, and a queer sense of foreboding stole over her heart.

* * *

The castle dining hall was huge and ominous and was only now illuminated by the roar of two fireplaces and the strategic placement of ornate candelabras on the rather large rectangular table in the center of the room. Liveried footmen stood about the room, ever ready to assist the Queen and the Princess should they require attention.

Elsa sat with her back against her chair, her plate of dinner had yet to be touched, and watched with amusement as her baby sister piled forkful after forkful into her mouth. "You really should slow down, you know. No one is going to steal your meal from you."

The princess huffed, then replied, "Watch it, sister. I have a mind to—" Her words were cut of short by a rather loud peel of thunder, one so close that is rattled the windows. "Oh, my, could this storm get any worse?"

"Perhaps it will," Elsa deadpanned. She picked at her food, and finally forked a small portion into her mouth. "Too much lemon, I think."

"What?"

"The cod—the chefs made the sauce too lemony."

A bright flash of lightning halted Anna's reply, and she dropped her fork onto her plate. "It's right over us—"

The windows shook again and Elsa knew by instinct that the worst of the storm had yet to come, but she kept that observation to herself. She tilted her head. "Why isn't Kristoff joining us for dinner? He isn't out in this weather, is he?"

"Well, I think he's in the stables. I asked him to come to dinner and he, once again, refused—politely, of course. I just think he doesn't feel comfortable indoors."

The Queen pondered that for a moment. "He told you he doesn't?"

"Well, not in so many words. You know him, always skirting around the truth, unable to speak his mind these days."

Elsa regarded her younger sibling as a low hanging branch began to lightly tap upon the window. "Do you think he's trying to tell you something, and doesn't want to hurt your feelings about it?"

Anna nodded. "Do you think he's losing interest in me?"

"No, he loves you, Anna. But I don't think he's comfortable with a domestic life. He still sleeps in the stables, doesn't he?"

Anna sat back in her chair. "That one night in my bed was disastrous." Her eyes widened at the deep blush on her sister's face. "No, not like that. I swear, Elsa, that brain of your likes to think dirty thoughts."

"No, I don't," Elsa squeaked. She began to eat in earnest, ignoring the peels of laughter pouring forth from her sister. After awhile she looked up to see Anna grinning at her. "What, now?"

"You're adorable, do you know that?"

Elsa blushed again and put down her fork. "I got the brains, remember? You, my dear sister, inherited our mother's good looks."

The princess felt the compliment keenly, and reached over the expanse between them to grasp Elsa's hand. "Oh, Elsa, don't ever belittle yourself like that again. You are beautiful."

Before the Queen could reply another loud clap of thunder roared through the dining hall, rattling hard, and the branch that was slapping the window hit hard enough to crack it. Elsa grabbed Anna's hand harder, fear stealing its way deep into her bones.

The footmen exchanged glances before one of them approached the Queen and bowed. "May I be of help, Your Majesty?"

The Queen looked up and disengaged her hand from Anna's. "This is going to sound crazy, but someone needs to go outside and close the storm shutters." Elsa silently cursed herself for not thinking about it earlier, before the storm blustered to its current intensity.

The footman wavered slightly. "To whom shall I deliver this message, my Lady?"

"To Master Kai, of course. Tell him to assemble a crew of five, no more. I don't want to impose upon too many to brave this terrible weather."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Elsa stood and moved to the window, watching as tufts of leaves were littered about by the harsh winds and pelting rain. The truth of the matter was that she did not want to send anyone out in the hostile storm, but prudence called for such an action. Just as she was about to say something to Anna that inner feeling crept up again; the one that told her that she should be remembering something. But for the life of her nothing came to the forefront of her mind. Nothing coalesced into certitude, as she needed it to, and a deep frustration percolated upwards, souring her thoughts.

Her appetite gone, Elsa turned back towards her sister. "I'll be in my room if you need me, Anna."

"Wait, what? Elsa you don't have to go—"

But the Queen was gone, already out of the dining hall, on her way to her room.

* * *

Despite what Anna believed, Kristoff wasn't in the stables as she thought he would be, but was sitting with a few other men in the large kitchen of the castle. He was huddled around the fire with a tankard of beer and plate of food on his lap.

An under butler, Anders, picked up a plate of food and sat next to the mountain man. "You are Kristoff, are you not?"

Kristoff turned his head as he downed a large portion of the beer. "Yeah, should I know you?"

Anders frowned. "No, but its nice to finally meet you. I hear the princess talking about you all the time."

The mountain man eyed the butler. Anna talked about him? He wondered how and why Anna would find herself mentioning him to other people, let alone the staff members. He considered his life private, especially where it concerned his relationship—or lack thereof—with the princess.

It was true that their romance was waning. Not because they were not attracted to each other. They were, but he just wasn't, and never would be, part of the gentry into which the Princess was raised. They both knew it. She had invited him to sleep with her in the finest of silks, and he ended up with a blanket on floor, so unused was he to a bed, and if the truth be told, he preferred the barn to a bedroom. He was a man very much a part of the land in which he lived, and he liked his calloused hands, because they reminded him of the hard work he loved to do.

Kristoff was about to say something to Anders when Kai entered the kitchens through the service door, four rugged looking men followed him. He immediately went to the mountain man. "Kristoff, I was told you were here. Can I impose upon you to help us with an immediate need?"

Kristoff took a large bite of food before setting his plate aside. "Impose away, Master Kai."

* * *

Anna silently walked to the conservatoire by herself, a bit restless, but determined not to bother Elsa if she did not want to be disturbed. It did appear from their parting words that the Queen was bothered by something that she did not want to talk about. The more Anna thought about it, the sadder she became.

It was the first time since the Great Thaw that the Queen retreated into herself, without being willing at least to talk somewhat about what was bothering her. The princess stopped at the door to the portrait room, tempted to fall back into her old habit of conversing with the artwork inside. It helped her to sort out in her own mind what verities needed to be known, what actions to take, and how to react properly to her world.

Anna paused and smiled to herself, realizing , and not for the first time, that she was more than capable of sorting out her own problems; had been doing it for years. She bypassed the portrait room and walked the few yards to the music room, where her violin and harpsichord were waiting.

The room had already been prepared for her arrival and Anna thought that Elsa might have mentioned something to a passing servant as she made her way over to room. A fire was already lit in the giant fireplace and sheet music was already set up on her harpsichord. Anna went over to examine it and saw it was the Bach that she so loved. _You did this, didn't you, Elsa._ If not the Queen then certainly Gerda. They were the only two who knew of her obsession with the Bach.

Anna reached out and glided her hand over the fine instrument, imported from France for her twelfth birthday. She sat down on the bench and gently ran her fingers over the keys, remembering them, and the beautiful music they helped her to produce. She looked at the sheet music and ignored the first movement, wanting to concentrate on the second, an _Adagio e piano sempre_, and positioned her hands over the right keys to order to begin.

The solo helped her to relax, although she had to admit that she missed her younger days when she would play with the children of Arendelle's nobility. Elsa was noticeably absent from these performances and Anna realized she must have least heard the music from her isolated bedroom. She wondered if Elsa longed to come to her sessions and watch her play, and now that she was thinking about it, the Queen still had yet to observe her.

Anna stopped and rested her hands on her lap, wishing that her big sister was with her now. What did Elsa do at times like this, to drive away the melancholy? Anna stood and preceded to make her way to the kitchen in the hopes of finding some freshly made chocolate cake.

* * *

Elsa looked out of her window as the storm seemed to intensify. It was dark, but she thought she could hear tree branches thrashing about. After another giant gust of wind she definitely heard the sound of marble crashing to the ground again. She backed away from the fury outside until the back of her knees hit her bed, and she sat back with a small thud. The flickering candlelight, which usually helped to bring her comfort, now caused an immense amount of anxiety, and she whimpered.

Even the roaring fire in her fireplace failed to soothe her tattered nerves. _What am I missing? There is something very wrong here…_

The Queen didn't know if it was something she had forgotten or if there was something that she had to know. There was just something about this night and the storm outside that was so wrong. She even wondered if the word "wrong" was fitting the situation. It wasn't that there was something _wrong_, but that there was _something about to happen_.

Elsa drew in a sharp breath and clutched at the cloak around her shoulders. The certainty she felt with that new knowledge frightened her to the core, and she had to struggle against the desire to scream as a particularly large branch crashed through her bedroom window and landed on her vanity, breaking several bottles of perfumes. At that precise moment her clock struck midnight and she jumped up from her bed.

But as she turned to the door an excruciating pain hit her suddenly, forcing her onto her knees. It was everywhere, all over her body—in her hands and feet—even her head. It was a throbbing, unbearable pain, and Elsa felt like she was being consumed by fire. She clutched at her cloak and tore it off, as it weight only added to the agony.

Elsa fell to her hands as the pain seemed to concentrate on her upper back and the top of her head. She blindly tore at dress; it burned where it touched her skin, and she writhed as spasms wracked her entire body.

The Queen fell to the floor and grabbed at her head. Perhaps it was because of the throbbing torture, but she could have sworn that she felt two pointy protrusions on her head that were not there before. But as soon as the thought entered her mind she felt a pulling at her back that was so painful that she blacked out temporarily.

* * *

The fire in Queen Elsa's fireplace had dwindled to mere coals, and the candles had burned down considerably. Her room was quiet except for the rain that continued to whip against her window.

Something moved on the floor, tilting its head to one side and letting out a small moan. It once had clothes on, but those lay in tatters on the floor, ripped to shreds. It rolled onto its stomach. Wings that had been trapped underneath it now fluttered slightly and stretched out, expanding outward and wrapping the creature beneath them in darkness.

It lifted its head and looked up, sniffing at the air, a low growl emanating from its parched throat. When it tried to stand it faltered slightly, being unused to the weight of the new wings on its back, but after a few tries it finally made it to its feet. The creature stretched its wings and let out another growl. It turned around slowly until a full-length mirror near the doorway to the walk-in closet captured its attention. It approached it slowly, peering uneasily at its own image.

Somewhere in that dark creature a human being still stirred, even if only for the tiniest of moments, and that part of the creature that was still Elsa gazed into the mirror, horrified at what she saw.

Her body was morphed into something that was wicked. Two horns now protruded from the top of her head and twisted into themselves in a mockery of goat horns.

Scraps of clothing still clung to her body, held up by threads, but they didn't hide what her skin had become. It was still pale but now had scales on it in some places—down her arms, and from her thighs down her legs to what was once her feet. Elsa gasped, horrified, pain-ridden and spread her dark wings until they stretched as far as they could go. It flapped the wings experimentally, the momentum of the move almost lifting her into the air. The last shreds of clothing fell and the creature's eyes went wide at the new appendage between its legs; thick and long, pulsing with need. Elsa gaged at the sight, spewing spit and thick phlegm all over the mirror. She lifted her head and let out a grief-stricken roar, unable to form words.

It was Elsa and it was not, and whatever she had become was now deeply attracted to the pounding storm outside. It sniffed again but this time at the broken window and the rain. Whatever was left of Elsa whimpered when it reached out through the broken glass to capture the water in its palm. It brought the hand to its mouth and lapped at the water like an animal.

* * *

It seemed as if the entire castle heard that roar, and some guards quickly attached their bayonets to their rifles, and ran in the direction of that terrible sound.

Anna was almost to her room when a horrible scream emanated from the Queen's bedroom. "Elsa!" She ran to the door and flung it open, only to catch sight of something standing at the Queen's window. It turned its head for a moment before crashing through the broken window into the stormy night.

Anna screamed at the sight. The creature almost looked human; in fact, if she didn't know any better… Anna looked about the room in shock and was just about to leave when four guards burst into the room. Anna screamed again until she saw that they were men.

"My Princess, where is the Queen?" A guard gently took hold of the Princess by her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "Princess Anna?"

Anna looked to the broken window and swallowed hard. "I don't know…" She batted the man's hands off her. "Search the entire castle now and find Queen Elsa. Come on, guys, now!"

As the guards ran from the room Anna whirled again to the open window. "Oh, Elsa…"


	2. Chapter 2

Kristoff struggled to stay on the ladder as the wind swirled around him, threatening to send him plummeting to the ground below. The heavy rain had stopped. But the sprinkles that were being flung around by gusts of wind stung at his cheeks. He grabbed at ladder with left hand and closed the hinges to the shutter with his right.

A gust shifted direction and the mountain man's body was sent reeling away from the ladder. But his grip was tight and he hung on. "Have we done all of them?"

The wind continued to swirl and scream.

Barthold, the stable master, called out from below, attempting to be heard. "Kristoff, what… we can't hear you!" But his voice was carried away into the storm.

Kristoff cupped a hand around his mouth and tried to call again. "What! What did you say?" The stinging rain intensified and he doubted he could stay on the ladder for much longer.

Another man came running up to the small group of men. Crispin, a rather burly under butler, grabbed him by his raincoat before he toppled over. "What is it?"

The smaller man, Didrik, trembled in the cold. "We've got to go! A tree branch crashed into the Queen's bedroom!"

"Kristoff!" Crispin called over his shoulder. "Kristoff, come down!"

Despite the blaring wind the mountain man clearly heard the last word and scrambled down the ladder as fast as he could without tripping. When he reached the bottom he and the other men hoisted the large ladder between them and took off running towards the western side of the castle.

* * *

Anna could not stop moving, and was furiously pacing back and forth in her bedroom, wondering at just what exactly had gone on earlier. That thing that was in her sister's bedroom—and Elsa missing—had her on edge, and she just couldn't relax. _Good, God, what was that creature?_

The princess stopped her pacing at a knock on her door. She jumped at first, and then took in a deep breath. "Yes, who is it?"

Gerda, Head of the Household, poked her head into the bedroom before fully coming into the room. "Hello, princess Anna. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Anna collapsed onto her bed, sitting down rather roughly. "No, no. What news of my sister?"

"That's just it, my Lady, the guards haven't found her as of yet." The older woman tried to keep her voice soothing.

A few tears fell down the princess's cheeks. "They haven't found her! Then they aren't looking hard enough! I want every guard and soldier that is in Arendelle right now looking for the Qu—for Elsa!"

Gerda frowned. "Everyone is out looking for Her Majesty, Princess Anna. I'm sure they will find her soon."

Anna stood and turned away from Gerda, moving to stare out her window. The rain was heavy yet scattered, and the winds were still blowing about furiously. _That creature…_ She wondered silently to herself if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Because whatever she had stumbled across in the Queen's room bore a striking resemblance to Elsa. Anna shivered at that thought. But hadn't Elsa been on edge the entire day, and evening? Anna wasn't exactly sure if Elsa's strange behavior that night had anything to do with her disappearance. But the more she thought about it the more sense it made. And what of her strange comments concerning the storm? Was that part of it, as well—and then that strange creature showed up in Elsa's room, escaping before she could get an undeniable look at it.

The princess pondered all these things in the hope of coming to a conclusion of some sort. But the truth eluded her, carried away in much the same way as dandelions are blown away by the wind.

The Head of the Household cleared her throat and waited for the Princess to say something to break the awkward silence.

Finally Anna turned around, her legs were a bit shaky. "Do you think so?"

"Yes, Princess Anna," Gerda replied. She took a tentative step towards the young woman. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Anna shook her head. "No—wait. Can you stay with me for a while? I really don't feel like being alone right now."

"Yes, my Lady, I can stay as long as you need me."

* * *

It was cold, cold was all around it. It shivered uncontrollably as the winds whipped up around it, strong enough to flap its wings. It looked all around, searching for something, anything to take away its pain and chill. For it was in tremendous pain to be so alone and so cold in a vastness of wherever it was. It could not recognize or name the things that were within its view, only that they were wet whenever it accidently touched them.

Wet and cold—that's all it knew about the world around it.

Things slapped against its skin as it moved one leg before the other—feeling with its hands as it preceded one step at a time towards…towards… It lifted its head and sniffed at the air, discerning a multitude of things in that one breath. There was food to be found in this place. It could smell and hear the small living creatures that scuttled away as it came too close to them. They ran away and it knew frustration for the first time.

The human inside struggled to rise to the surface, but was forced down by the creature within—that part of it that was now animal was dominant. It growled low in its throat again and felt that pulsing need to feed. But there was not only hunger, but also a need to shelter and feel warmth.

Instinct took over and it headed in the direction of the nearest warmth, which was not too far from where it was. Feet scraped against the hard earth as it maneuvered around large stones and growing outcroppings of brush. Its toe hit a particularly hard and cold stone and it raised its head and howled in agony. Its head dropped and it whimpered at the pain. It dropped to the ground and lifted the toe to its mouth and began to lick the injured appendage.

When it was satisfied that the pain was gone it moved towards the warmth once again. The rocks got larger and more difficult to move around but when it rounded a corner of thick trees the source of the warmth became apparent. The human sighed as the beast looked on in confusion at the hot springs, not knowing what to do.

Elsa struggled to the surface and forced her legs forward until she fell into the hot water.

The creature howled with delight as the feeling of cold was replaced by the feeling of warmth and it hissed out its pleasure. It used its wings to splash the hot water onto its face and cackled with delight, and at that moment its need for warmth was satisfied. But it was still hungry and it knew it—but not as a human would know things—through cognition, but by sense, and instinct. There were few little creatures about, but they were staying far away from it. A low growl escaped its lips and it moved about on the rocky underwater surface.

At that moment its keen eyes caught sight of something not too far from it. A small animal lounged near the hot spring's edge and was cleaning its fur, oblivious to the threat. The creature flattened its wings and glided over the surface of the water, very careful not to make a sound as it approached its prey. But just as it was about to snatch it the small animal scurried away.

Elsa growled in frustration at the loss of her meal and pounded her fists on the rocky earth. She opened her eyes and saw that she had bloodied her hands in her vexation. Sniffing at the blood re-awoke her hunger, and the strange thing that was poking out between her legs twitched in response. Elsa lowered her hand tentatively and touched the protrusion. It twitched again as she ran her hand over its growing length. The creature growled as the human, struggling to maintain control, could only watch in fascination.

Just as the creature before had learned of frustration for the first time Elsa now knew of the urge to rut. A new hunger rose up in the creature and slammed down the human as far as she could go. Elsa was gone again, replaced by an animal that was both hungry for food and overwhelmed with the need to mate. It scrambled out of the water and shook the water off of its skin. Growling, the creature flapped its dark wings and drove itself into the woods.

* * *

King Edvardt got up out of bed, careful to not disturb his wife, and put on his robe, tying it around his waist as he exited the royal bedchamber. Numerous candles throughout the hallway illuminated his way as he strode towards the eastern wing of his castle, where his children were lodged. The old man paused after a few moments to nurse his aching knees, which seemed to be getting worse the older he became. As he passed various guards in the passageways they saluted him, but he ignored them, intent as he was on his destination.

The king reached the eastern wing after about ten minutes and stopped momentarily confused as to which door to knock on. But the confusion passed as quickly as it came and walked to the end of the hall and didn't bother to knock. The door creaked loudly as he burst into the room and strode quickly to the oversized bed.

Edvardt's eyes narrowed. "Get up, now."

The prince didn't move at first, and only snored louder as he rolled over onto his back.

The king leaned over the bed slightly and violently shook the prince's shoulder. "I said get up—now, before I really lose my temper!"

The younger man slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to openly glare at his father. "It's the middle of the night. What do you want now?"

But the king had already turned around and was walking out of the room. "Meet me in my study in five minutes, and don't be late."

Ten minutes later the prince opened the door to his father's study and found the older man sitting at his desk seemingly lost in a letter he was reading. "I'm here now, your Majesty, was is it? Don't dally, old man, spill it out."

The King took off his spectacles and then turned around to warm his hands at the fireplace. "Quit being pathetic, Hans, you're lucky not to be in the prison. Shut up and sit down."

Hans, angry, closed his mouth and for a moment stared at his father, a man that he once idolized, and only now had contempt for. Without speaking, he sat down and faced the old king.

Edvardt picked up the letter he was reading and slipped it over to his youngest. "Read this—it's from Weselton."

Hans snatched up the letter. "What does that old man want?"

"He's dying."

Hans looked up from the letter and his eyes narrowed. "I see." He poured over the letter and his face never once betrayed what emotions he was feeling. "Very interesting, indeed. So the old man is finally telling you the truth. Do you believe him?"

The king smirked at Hans' question. "Of course I do. It seems that our once fair cousin is genuinely asking for our help. What sort of assistance should we grant him, boy?"

Hans bristled at the description. "Why ask me? You don't care what I think and do, never have. Perhaps I should fetch Fingaard for you?"

"None of my other sons can help me with this, only you, I'm afraid."

"Why only me?"

The king brought a fist down on the table. "Because you were there—you saw everything, and you know their weaknesses! Our cousin is dying and I intend to agree to his final plans."

Hans recoiled slightly, and a small amount of self-doubt stole over him. "But I'm not a military officer."

"You've never backed down from a challenge in your life. If you don't want to then go ahead, go and get Fingaard right now and I'll task him."

The last thing Hans wanted to do was give any of his older brothers a chance to shine above him. "When do we sail?"

Edvardt sat back in his chair and nodded approvingly. "You've got four to six months to prepare an army and a navy—I want Arendelle brought to its knees."

Hans could not stop the evil grin that graced his features. "Oh, it will be. There is nothing that would give me more pleasure."

* * *

Anna jumped at the sound of the male voices and sat up. She looked over to one of her armchairs to find Gerda sitting in it, apparently asleep. Anna swung her legs over the side of the bed and realized she must have dosed off for a bit. After rubbing at her eyes she left her room and followed the voices, and found herself in her sister's room where three men were boarding up the broken window. They were soaking wet.

Kristoff had lifted up the broken branch and was about to take it away when he saw Anna. He put down the branch and approached her. "Hey, Anna."

Anna noticed his wet clothes. "Have you been out in this rain?"

"The Queen did need volunteers, remember?"

"I didn't think you would be one of them."

The mountain man started to run his calloused hand over her cheek, but then stopped himself, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the others present. "Is it true, that the Queen is missing?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it's true." Anna realized there would be no lying to this man, and with all of Arendelle's guards and soldiers looking for her, it would be pointless anyway.

"What can I do to help?"

Anna leaned against his thick frame. "I don't know, Kristoff. But if you—" She was cut off by the entrance of an officer.

"Princess Anna!"

"Yes, what is it?"

The officer bowed. "One of the canine patrols has apparently picked up…well…"

Anna pushed off Kristoff and stood before the officer. "Yes, come on and tell me."

"May I speak to you privately, Princess?"

Anna glanced at Kristoff before exiting Elsa's bedroom to the hallway. Once there she took the man by his arm and led him further away. "No one can here us now. Do you have news of my sister, the Queen?"

"I think so, Princess Anna, but its very confusing."

The princess tapped her foot in annoyance. "Just—tell me."

"Well, we had the dogs sniff at some of the Queen's dresses to get her scent and then sent them out. Mind you, we used our most reliable canines, the ones that can find things in inclement weather—and they led us to…well, a slaughter."

Anna blanched. "Elsa is dead?"

"No, my Lady, they led us to an animal—a small dear, I think—that had been completely torn apart. At first we thought that perhaps the dogs followed the wrong trail. But when they were given a dress to smell again they led us to a small, run down cottage just outside of the city proper where we found the bodies of what appears to be a transient couple. They were eviscerated, just like the animal."

Anna didn't know how long she stood there, stunned. She cleared her throat before speaking. "Did you—find any trace of the Queen?"

The officer shook his head. "The dogs went completely crazy—her scent must have been all over the place, Princess Anna."

"What of now? Anything else?"

"Only that the dogs eventually led us back into the city. Apart from that, there is still no trace of the Queen."

"What do you think killed the animal and those people?" There was a nagging at the back of Anna's mind. Something was telling her to tread lightly in this matter and not to give too much away.

"We don't know, Princess. Perhaps a huge wolf? I pray that whatever it was spared the Queen."

Anna turned away from the man for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. It didn't make any sense at first. Were the dogs that reliable? Perhaps they were following the wrong scent all along. After a few awkward moments she turned towards the worried face of the man in front of her. "How many men saw… saw the carnage?"

"At least twelve, Your Highness."

"Good. Will you see that they are sworn to secrecy? I don't want any rumors floating around about murderous wolves. The last thing we want is for the people to panic."

"Yes, Your Highness. If I may be of service please don't hesitate to ask for me."

Anna tilted her head. "I don't believe I got your name?"

The man bowed and reached for her hand to kiss it. "Gunnar, Princess Anna—Captain Gunnar."

"Very well, Captain, you may return to your duties."

When he was gone Anna noticed that Kristoff was peering at her from Elsa's door. He didn't look happy. The princess sighed out of frustration. The last thing she needed right now was a jealous Kristoff. She slowly walked towards him as he stepped out into the hall.

"What was that all about?"

Anna brushed some hair behind her ear. "I don't feel like talking right now, Kristoff. I'm going to my room—and no, please don't follow me."

When she reached her room she was thankful that Gerda was gone. She made a mental note to talk to her sometime soon, after she got a little rest. It was important that the castle staff did not in any way gossip or spread rumors about what happened to the Queen.

Anna sat at her vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. What happened to the Queen? It was a strange sentiment in that she didn't even know about what exactly happened to her sister. _That creature…_ was it Elsa? Could her sister have somehow transformed into that hideous monster and was now prowling the countryside looking for victims? The more she thought about it the more absurd it sounded, even to her addled mind.

_But Elsa was clearly worried about something. No, not just merely worried._

Anna repeated those phrases over and over again in her mind to try to work them out. She was sure about it; just as sure as she was that that creature was somehow connected to her sister. But, it was preposterous, wasn't it? Anna was sure in her knowledge. But she was also pragmatic. She was keenly aware to keep that information locked within herself for the time being. It would do no good to lay her suspicions on people who were just getting used to the idea of an absolute ruler with ice powers. They would run her and Elsa—if and when they found her—straight out of the Kingdom and never let them return.

Anna groaned and cradled her head in her hands, a bone weariness stealing over her and making her wish for sleep. But even now it would be useless to try, her nerves were still a bit wracked, and she wanted to be awake the moment they did find Elsa. Perhaps she should have let Kristoff accompany her to her room. At least, he would have listened to her ramblings.

_Maybe, if I just let my head rest for a moment I will be okay._

Anna curled her arms onto her vanity and rested her head on top of them. She was asleep within seconds.

* * *

It has feasted, and now it sat unmolested in the driest warmth it had ever known. It was content for the first time in its existence. Not only was it warm but it was bright as a light from somewhere beyond illuminated the surroundings. Light and warm enveloped it in such a profound way that it buried itself amongst the dry hay and closed its weary eyes—falling into a much needed sleep.

* * *

_**This is sure taking on a life of its own. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**_


	3. Chapter 3

The previous night's storm was long over, and the first rays of the sun slowly broke over the eastern mountain, bathing Arendelle in the first light of a new day. Merchants opened their doors and there was a bustling of activity at the docks. Merchant ships, which had to moor off port during the night, now made their way to the docks. Arendelle was waking up to a new day. If the people were surprised to find more than a few guards and soldiers wandering about the city at such an early hour they kept to themselves.

People welcomed the light, but to the thing that was sleeping in the hayloft of Arendelle's stables, the day meant a painful transformation.

It bolted upright as soon as the songbirds welcomed the day with their melodious music, clutching at its head, and growling uncontrollably as the pain became too much. It grabbed at the horns on top of its head, only to have them splinter as soon as it touched them. Wracked with spasms, it soon fell onto its back and the force of the impact shattered its new wings. But before it could howl out in surprise the pain became too much and it blacked out. The human within its clutches whimpered in relief.

* * *

A company of soldiers gathered in front of the Royal stables and waited for an officer to arrive, as they were weary of the night's unfruitful search. The groomsmen nodded as they walked past the soldiers, entering into the stables to prepare the horses for their day's activities. The stable master, Barthold, met them near the entrance.

Barthold, holding a mare by its reins, steadied the horse before speaking. "We have an—unusual assignment this morning before we begin preparing the horses. We have been asked by the Captain of the Guard to inspect the stalls for any signs of an intruder. The guards were here last night and didn't find anything out of the ordinary. So, this is just a precaution."

A young woman, Aaliyah, stepped forward and frowned. "What do they expect us to find?"

"Hopefully nothing." Barthold squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, not intending to speak his immediate thought. He recovered quickly and added, "Like I said, this is just a formality. Go, now—there are enough of us that this should take only a few minutes."

As the stable staff left to do their assignment Gunnar, a Captain of the Royal Guard, entered the stables and looked around. No one was in sight so we walked to a small wood-burning stove in the corner to warm his hands. There was a huge pot of what appeared to be coffee on top of the stove.

Gunnar was about to pour himself a cup when he heard the scream. He dropped the pot and ran in the direction of the noise. He passed at least twenty stalls when he stopped in his tracks at the end of the passageway. Several grooms had reached the site just as he did and they all looked to a wooden staircase that led up to the second floor hayloft.

A young man was now calmly walking down the stairs and he approached the Captain, a stunned look on his face. When he noticed the other groomsmen he spoke softly. "I need to tell you something, but not in front of these guys."

The Captain led the young man down the passageway. He wore an impatient look. "What is it?"

The young man shuffled on his feet. "There is a naked woman sleeping up there." He pointed up the stairs. "She looks like the—"

Gunnar covered the man's mouth before he could say anything more. He leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Don't say it. Go outside and ask for Lieutenant Ingarth, tell him to meet me at the foot of that stairway. Go, now!"

* * *

"Princess Anna."

The young woman batted at the hand that was gently shaking her shoulder. "Mmmm…go away…"

The shaking was more insistent. "Princess Anna, you need to wake up now."

Anna opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying on her bed, fully clothed, and frowned for a moment, before comprehension hit her and she sat up rather abruptly. "What is it, Gerda? Have they found Elsa?"

Gerda offered the woman a thin smile. "They…they think so. You need to come with me right away."

Anna didn't hesitate to scramble out of her bed. But she paused at her mirror to look over her image. "I look terrible—where are we going?"

The older woman paused at the Princess's door. "To the Royal stables, my Lady."

Anna groaned as she tried to straighten out her skirt. She gave up and then huffed as she followed Gerda. "What did they find?"

Gerda looked over her shoulder at the question. "You mean, 'whom,' don't you, Princess?"

"Oh—of course. They found Elsa, right?"

"As I said, Your Highness, they only indicated that they _think_ it is Her Majesty."

Anna followed the older woman down the long hallway towards the spiral staircase. "Gerda, do you know what time it is?"

"It is still quite early, Princess Anna. But I'm sorry I don't know the exact time."

Anna was silent for the moments it took them to reach the front gates of the castle. It appeared that there was much activity going around—guards and soldiers were scattered about the courtyard, crouching over makeshift fires that had been set up to relieve the cold.

Once outside Anna was greet by the immense chill and regretted not bringing a coat with her. A nearby coachman noticed her look of discomfort and immediately took off his coat and offered it to her. The Princess gladly to it and smiled at the man. "Thank you so much."

"No need to thank me, Your Highness, it is my duty to serve." He bowed with a flourish as Anna stepped into the carriage he was standing next to.

The coach ride to the Royal Stables only took a few long minutes and Anna counted every second that went by, her nerves were raw and frazzled. When at last the carriage pulled up to the stables Anna didn't wait for Gerda to get out first. She hopped out and didn't wait for a footman to guide her path and almost tripped on her way into the building. Captain Gunnar and another man she didn't know met her at the door.

"Captain Gunnar!"

The Captain caught her as she attempted to fly past him. "Whoa, Princess!"

Anna tripped into his arms. "Let me go, now, Captain I have to get to—"

The Captain dragged Anna towards the wood burning stove and whispered into her ear. "My Princess, we don't know if it is the Queen up there. We need to verify this."

Anna stopped struggling and looked into the man's eyes. His concern was plain and evident. She let out a ragged breath as Gerda finally entered into the stables. She turned towards the other woman. "Gerda, come here, please.

The older woman approached cautiously. "Yes, Your Highness?"

Gunnar briefly squeezed the princess's shoulder before turning towards the older woman. He bent down to speak softly, so that others would not hear. "Madame, Gerda, we need to impose upon you the utmost in secrecy, do you agree?" Before she could answer he rose and indicated for Anna and Gerda to follow him.

They moved amongst down the passageway, past the horse stalls, and Anna found herself relaxing a bit. Being around the large animals was soothing her nerves, as she was very comfortable around them. She was Arendelle's finest horse rider, far outshining the other noblewomen of her peerage.

When they reached the end of the passageway and the wooden stairs Captain Gunnar stopped and dismissed the guards and groomsmen who were watching the area. The Captain turned to Gerda again. "Madame, we need for you to go into the hayloft and let us know if that is, indeed, the Queen that is up there."

The old woman turned to the Princess and Anna smiled and nodded. As Gerda climbed the stairs Anna turned towards the Captain. "Thank you for your discretion, Captain, I greatly appreciate it."

The man blushed slightly. "You're welcome, Princess Anna."

They looked to each other for the briefest of moments, and a small connection was formed between them.

Anna was about to say something when Gerda came down the stairs. She immediately went to the Princess. "Princess Anna, your sister—um, the Queen—is up in that loft."

Ana breathed out a sigh of relief, and had to lean on the Captain lest she should fall to the ground. But she realized almost immediately what she had done and looked up in embarrassment. "Forgive me, Captain, I'm so sorry."

"Gunnar."

Anna straightened up. "Excuse me?"

"I am just Gunnar, Your Highness—at your service." He smiled before nodding towards the stairs. "I'll make sure that no one sees the Queen."

* * *

Anna climbed the stairs to the hayloft and was thankful that she had the coat on, as the air up in the rafters was freezing. She looked around for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the dimmed light. The upstairs hayloft looked like it must have been an office of some kind years ago but was now used for storing extra hay. Hay was strewn everywhere amongst the remains of what was once a desk. Anna maneuvered around those pieces and stopped suddenly.

Elsa lay a few feet from her, huddled under a rather large portion of hay. She was naked. Anna sank to her knees to examine her sister for any injuries. There didn't appear to be any. She began to slowly remove the hay from her sister's body and then noticed that there was what appeared at first to be ash in the hay around the Queen's head and her upper back. Anna dismissed this immediately, as it didn't seem to be important, and after enough hay was removed, saw that Elsa was sleeping soundly, as she could hear a slight snore.

Anna sighed again in relief and gently turned her sister over so that she sleeping on her back. She was about to wake her when her eyes moved downwards and she saw…

The princess staggered backwards and covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a scream. She looked again, making sure that what she was seeing was real. It was, and Anna's eyes moved over Elsa's body, looking for any other—abnormalities. Except for deep scratches on her arms Elsa's body was unblemished.

Anna sat back on her heels. "Oh, my." All of her doubts vanished in that one moment, and she knew that the creature she had seen in Elsa's room that night was now splayed before her. Elsa and the creature were one. She removed the coat she was wearing and gingerly placed it on her sister's sleeping form. "Elsa… time to wake up."

The blonde remained asleep, and turned over on her side again as her snore got louder. Anna was undeterred. She shook her sister' shoulder. "Elsa—pssst—time for…"

Elsa sat up abruptly, her eyes wide and looking fearful. But before she had a chance to say anything, or get to know her bearings, Anna had her in a warm hug, the tears flowing freely.

"Oh, my, Elsa—I'm so glad you are safe!"

The Queen wrapped an arm around her sister's waist and blinked for several moments, looking like she was in a stupor. After awhile she turned her head and looked around. When she spoke, her voice was rough. "Anna, please don't cry. Come on now, you're okay."

"I'm okay? You've been through—" Anna didn't get to finish her thought as Elsa's eyes appeared to be glazed over.

"Anna?"

"Yes."

The blonde rubbed her eyes. "Why are we in the stables?"

Anna took Elsa's hand and held it between her own. "You don't remember?"

Elsa looked confused again. "No, I don't think so. What is going on?"

"You were sleep walking." The princess tried to sound convincing.

The blonde looked abashed. "What? Anna, I've never walked in my sleep in my life. How can…" She stopped at the look in her sister's eyes. Anna was looking down at her waist. "Anna, what is it?" That was when she noticed an uncomfortable sensation between her legs. She looked down and gasped when she saw the bulge, not entirely hidden by the coat Anna had thrown on her.

"_What in God's name—" Elsa_ looked at herself in horror and then her eyes flew to Anna's. "What is happening, Anna? You're not telling me something!" She grabbed her sister's arms, holding on a little too tightly.

Anna winced at the pain, but she knew she had to stop her sister's tirade before it escalated. "Please keep your voice down, please, Elsa. I don't know what happened to you, Elsa. That is what I've been trying to think about all night."

Elsa started to hyperventilate, as her sister's words were failing to soothe. "What do mean by 'all night?'" Tears started to flow. "What is going on, Anna?"

Anna let out a shaky breath and then related everything she knew to Elsa. She told her about the heavy storm and how it seemed to bother Elsa quite a bit. When she told Elsa about the creature in the Queen's bedchamber Elsa's eyes widened even some more, and after she related the story that Captain Gunnar had told her Elsa seemed to sway, as if she was about to faint. When Anna was done with her story Elsa turned white.

The blonde turned her head suddenly, and vomited all over the hay. Anna supported her sister by the waist as her body was wracked with violent spasms. After a long while Elsa finally calmed enough to glance over her shoulder at her sister. "How can you look at me?"

Anna blinked. "You're my sister, Elsa. I love you."

Elsa used the coat to cover herself. "But look at me; I'm the monster I always thought I was."

Anna blinked back her hot tears. "You'll never be a monster to me, Elsa. No matter what happens to you or why. Are you listening to me?"

But Elsa wasn't listening. She grabbed at the coat and scooted towards the wall, whimpering and trying to cover as much of her body as she could. But a certain part of her body demanded attention and Elsa blushed in shame some more, feeling a deep humiliation. She glanced over to the pained look on Anna's face and new tears formed in her eyes. "Go away."

Anna sniffed and wiped at her own tears. "I can't do that—I'm taking you home, Elsa."

The blonde's eyes went wide again. "What?"

"I said that I'm taking you back to the castle, Elsa. We'll figure this out together, alright?"

"What is there to figure out?" The Queen spat out. "I'm a mon—" Her head snapped back at the force of the slap, and she glared at her sister. "How dare you…"

"I dare because I love you and am not giving up on you! Do you get it now, or do I have to hit you again?" Anna was resolute, and she wiped furiously at her tears.

Defeated, Elsa could only nod in compliance as Anna moved closer to her. "What are you doing?"

"We need to hide you in that coat and get you back to the castle, Elsa. Now before we attract too much attention."

Elsa wanted to protest, but the look in the princess's eyes told her it would not be a good idea. She nodded. "Alright. Turn around please."

"What?"

"Anna, please?" She wanted to add that she didn't want to be seen by anybody in this condition, and most especially by Anna, but she kept that to herself.

"Okay, Elsa." Anna got up and turned around. She could here Elsa behind her put the coat on. "All finished?"

"Yes."

Anna turned back to her sister and then reached for the lapels on the coat. She turned them up and then tucked Elsa's hair into the coat, effectively hiding her appearance. "Are you ready?"

* * *

Elsa merely nodded and followed Anna as she made her way to the wooden stairs. Her whole body ached with its previous night's exertions, but the pain on top of her head and between her shoulders bothered her the most. She reached up to the top of her head and felt around her scalp and felt what appeared to be two wounds that were partially healed. _Monster…_ Elsa shivered despite herself, trying to understand Anna's explanations about last night. A part of her didn't want to believe because she had few memories of the previous night. But the more rational part of her, the one that felt the healed wounds on the top of her head—well, that person did believe. That person didn't have a choice but to believe.

Once down the stairs Elsa noticed a young officer waiting for them close to the nearest horse stall. As she approached the horse in the stall began to whinny and shift on its hooves, as if sensing danger.

The Captain bowed as Anna and the Queen walked past him. "Princess Anna, if I—"

Anna waved him away. "Not now, Gunnar."

As they walked down the passageway the horses began to neigh rather loudly at them as they passed. Anna glanced over her shoulder at her sister, but Elsa didn't seem to be phased at all by the skittish beasts. She was walking as if in a daze. Despite the frightened horses the Queen and Princess made it to the outside carriage without incident. Even the guards and soldiers that were outside ignored them as they approached the carriage. Elsa was thankful for the anonymity, and the ride to the Castle was thankfully short.

Anna escorted her Queen to her rooms on the second floor of the Castle and made sure that the servants stayed away. She even checked Elsa's room before they entered it, scooting out the lone servant who was stoking the fire.

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief once inside her room and collapsed on her overstuffed chair near the fireplace. After a few awkward moments she turned her head towards Anna, who was still standing near the door. "Thank you."

Anna tentatively moved closer. "No need to thank me, Elsa. I want to help you figure this out."

The blonde sniffed at herself and then crinkled her nose. "I need a bath." When tried to get out of the chair her body protested. "I can't seem to move—my body is so sore."

"Then let me help you."

"No!" Elsa snapped. After a moment she held up her hand. "I'm sorry, Anna."

"Don't be. You've had the devil's own day, haven't you?"

"That's one way of putting it." A mirthless chuckled escaped her lips. She turned to her sister, who had walked up to her chair. "I need some hot water."

Servants brought up buckets of hot water to the Queen's bathroom and then bowed upon leaving. Anna tested the water with her hand just as Elsa was stepping into the bathroom.

"Its too hot, Elsa."

"It is? They know I don't like my baths particularly hot."

"Why not use your powers to cool it down?"

Elsa lifted her left hand—and then nothing happened. She frowned and lifted her right, and still nothing happened. She went white and her eyes widened. "Anna! My powers—"

Anna, who had been kneeling next to the tub, rose quickly and went to Elsa. "What, that's impossible—try again."

Elsa flicked her hand again at the bathtub, and still nothing. Her mouth agape, the blonde looked at her hands and shivered. "Oh, my God, Anna. This is all too real. A part of me didn't want to believe any of this—that all of it was some sort of bad dream. But, gods, Anna—I've lost my powers!"

"Hold on, Elsa, let's not jump to conclusions here." She attempted to touch her older sister but Elsa stepped back.

"Oh, Anna, something foul has entered Arendelle and now its in me."

Anna blinked. "Foul? How could you know such a thing?"

"First you tell me such a fantastic story that I barely believe it, and—my body." She indicated her crotch. "And now my powers—I don't know how else to interpret these things."

Anna swallowed hard. "I refuse to believe that you are cursed, Elsa. What cruel god would do such a thing?"

Elsa glanced at Anna before she hobbled around her towards her bathtub. "Can you help me with this coat, Anna."

When the princess lifted the coat from Elsa's shoulders she saw the scars near her shoulders, but did not know what they were. "Can you feel something on your back, Elsa?"

"Yes, I hurt around my shoulders, towards the middle of my back."

"I can see the scars—they must be from the… well, from the…"

Elsa turned her head towards her sister. "From what?"

Anna tossed the coat to the side. "I thought I saw small wings on that cre—on you—before you crashed through the window."

"Wings, good gods… help me, Anna, please." Elsa lowered her head and covered her eyes as the tears started to fall.

Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist and helped into the sunken bathtub. The blonde splashed into the water and let her head fall back onto the rim. "A cruel god, indeed."

Anna sighed and sank to the edge of the tub, she reached down and took Elsa's hand, and this time, the blonde didn't pull back. "I've been far too unfair with you in the past, Elsa, but that stops now."

Elsa found a wash cloth and nonchalantly covered up her new flesh. "How have you been prejudicial, Anna?"

Anna noticed the move but chose not to comment on it. "I've always looked to you to be the strong one. Actually, I counted on it way too many times when I could have been resilient or decisive. But, let me be the strong one now, Elsa. Please let me help you with this. I'm sure we can figure this out."

Elsa smiled, in spite of herself. "Let you take care of me?"

"Oh, yes!" For the first time since the previous night, Anna felt hopeful. She squeezed Elsa's hand tighter. "Will you?"

"Of course I'll let you help me. I can't imagine I can do this on my own." The blonde grabbed another wash cloth and poured soap onto it. "Will you wash my back, Anna?"

"Of course, Elsa. Here gimme…" She took the cloth and lightly ran it over Elsa's back. "Does it hurt?"

Elsa sat up and closed her eyes. "My whole body hurts." Elsa stifled a groan as Anna's hands worked wonders on her aching back. But after a few minutes she felt a stirring below her waist, and to her horror, her body came alive at the touch. "Anna, please stop."

Anna dipped the cloth into the water to clean it. "I hurt you, didn't I?"

"No!" Elsa scooted away from Anna and slid along the tub to the other side. Something deep inside her awoke for only a fleeting moment, and a low growl escaped her throat. But just as quickly as it came it passed over her, leaving her shaking with shame—and desire. "Anna, maybe you should go."

"No, Elsa. Tell me, what is happening to you?"

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut. "My body—it's reacting to your touch."

"Oh, how is it—oh!" Anna blushed a deep red. Even though Elsa had her back to her, she knew her predicament. She flushed in embarrassment, and her heart broke for her sister. "I ought to not touch you right now, I think."

"That would be helpful!" Elsa squeaked. "I'll finish washing myself. Can you wait for me in my room, Anna? Perhaps have some tea brought up?"

"Sure, Elsa, take your time." Anna strolled out of the bathroom, deep in thought. In hindsight, Elsa was right to question the storm; it brought something vile to Arendelle, to Elsa. It had changed her, both physically and otherwise, and they needed to find a cure, fast.

Anna found a servant in the hallway and ordered tea and whiskey to be brought to the Queen's chambers and then seated herself next to the fireplace. It was going to be a long and arduous day.


	4. Chapter 4

Elsa exited her bathroom and towel dried her hair. "Anna, could you please pour a cup of tea?" She moved to her walk-in closet then stopped abruptly. "Anna?"

Anna was slumped in the chair by the fireplace, snoring loudly, her hand clutching a cup of tea that was still steaming.

The blonde watched her sister for a moment, a warm smile on her face. "Oh, Anna… you're too good to me." Discarding her robe, she put on a simple button down shirt and loose fitting trousers, her clothes for when she did her gardening.

Elsa noticed that the servants had also brought breakfast and had set it on a small table near Anna's chair. She grabbed another chair and dragged it over towards the table and her stomach growled when she saw her favourite morning dishes. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the bottle of whiskey but she didn't hesitate to add some to the tea that she poured.

The Queen reached over and gently took the cup of tea from her sister's hand and placed it on the table. "Anna?"

The redhead mumbled something in her sleep and turned her body slightly, but continued to snore.

Elsa sat and watched her sister sleep, realizing that the previous night must have been hell for her to go through. Guilt started bubble to the surface—_monster_—but Elsa held it in check, not wanting to make matters worse by berating herself. Anna was right, what happened to her wasn't her fault.

"Anna…" Elsa reached over and gently shook Anna's shoulder. "Come on, sleepyhead, breakfast is ready."

Anna opened her eyes and yawned before sitting up. "Oh, Elsa, I'm sorry for falling asleep."

"Don't be. Last night must have been rough on you." The blonde helped herself to the salmon and spinach omelet and piled her plate high with food.

Anna rubbed at her eyes and yawned again. "You must be really hungry."

"Unusually so, I think," Elsa replied. She scooted closer to the small table and then added fruit and nuts to her plate.

Anna picked up her plate of food and placed it on her lap as she poured herself more tea. "Did you take some whiskey?"

"Yes, I thought it would be good for my nerves." Elsa devoured the omelet like a ravenous animal.

"Whoa, slow down, Elsa. You're going to give yourself a stomach ache."

"I don't think my body could hurt any worse than it already does." She reached up and lightly touched the top of head where the horns had been. "Especially here."

"May I take a look?" Anna put her food down and then stood to examine her sister's head. She felt around and then parted her hair and saw too small bumps. "Yes, I can see something here—two bumps are red and swollen."

Elsa closed her eyes at the gentle ministrations, and then suddenly remembered that Anna should not be touching her. "Anna, remember our agreement?"

The princess removed her hands. "Sorry, I just wanted to see, that's all."

"I know." Elsa resumed her meal.

Anna sat back down and regarded her sister. "Elsa, did our parents talk to you at length about your powers?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I was wondering if they told you how you got them." Anna picked her plate of food and started eating.

Elsa thought about it for a few moments. "Father told me that I was born with them. I guess that means I had them when I was a baby, but he never told me how I received them—I don't think he knew."

"What about mother?"

Elsa put her plate down and poured more whiskey into her tea. She took a long drink of it. "Mother didn't like to talk about them."

Anna offered her cup to Elsa and the Queen poured whiskey into it. "Why do you think she didn't?"

"For some reason it made her very uncomfortable." Elsa put her cup down. "I don't think she liked the idea of me having them."

"What about Father?" Anna asked while putting jam on a croissant.

"He was mostly concerned with me not wanting to show my feelings. He always thought that my feelings controlled my powers. Hence, the gloves." Elsa frowned. "Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show."

"That's what he always told you, wasn't it?"

Elsa put down her plate of food. "Yes—and I grew to hate it." She poured more tea. "So when do you want to start?"

"Start what?"

"You know—figuring out my predicament."

Anna smiled. "We're doing it right now. This is the first step, Elsa. We need to know exactly what mother and father knew about this—because I think it is all connected in some way. I want to know what they knew, when they knew it, even what they suspected. You were saying that father spent a lot of time showing you how to conceal the powers… why?"

_Here it is_, Elsa thought. _Here is the thing that I have yet to tell her about my powers. Why I concealed them from her for all those years_. Elsa put down her cup and turned to face her sister. "Anna, there is something that I need to tell you."

Anna's eyes widened for a brief moment. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm not going to like this."

"I'm not going to tell you anything bad, Anna. But I haven't told you the real reason why my powers were hidden from you for all those years."

Anna nodded. "I just figured that you would tell me when… well, the time was right."

The blonde sat up. "It is now. With everything that has happened—I can't abide to have any secrets anymore." Elsa took in a deep breath. "Anna, when we were little children you knew I had powers. We played with them all the time."

"But, Elsa, that's impossible because—"

"No, please, Anna, listen to me. This is going to be a long story, and I need for you to hear the entire story without interrupting, okay?" Elsa began the long tale of their childhood, and of building snowmen. She told Anna everything about that one early morning when everything changed for both of them—for good or for ill, and the princess listened in rapt attention as Elsa told the story. When Elsa was done she sat back in her chair, exhausted.

Anna remained silent for quite a long time, absorbing the truth. After awhile she looked up into Elsa's eyes as a vague sense of understanding stole over her. "I can't believe you've carried this burden for so long, Elsa—and to never tell me!" The princess cringed, as her voice carried more aggravation than she intended. "Gees, Elsa, father and Pabbie did all of that just to protect me?"

"Yes, Anna. I will admit that sometimes it was hard not to resent you. But then I would remember it wasn't your fault." Elsa got up and stoked the fire. "I would watch you from my window as you played outside, or I would sneak at peek at you while you were in the portrait room, talking to the artwork." She poured herself another cup of tea and whiskey. "I envied your life."

The princess remained still as Elsa spoke, but her heart hardened a little at the memory of her parents. "How could they have been so mean towards you."

"It wasn't meanness, Anna, but a sense of familial self-preservation. It was all they could think of doing to make sure both of us remained alive."

"But to shut you away when I had all the freedom I could ever want." Anna shuddered and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I'm so sorry."

Elsa returned to her chair. "Don't be. The past is in the past, Anna."

The princess nodded. "And now the powers are gone."

The Queen sighed. "Yes."

Anna sat up. "Maybe not gone, but changed somehow."

"I'm not following you, Anna."

The redhead stood and began to pace. "The storm, the storm—what was it about that storm? Perhaps we a looking at this all wrong. Are we assuming that the weather took away your powers?"

Elsa shrugged her shoulders. "I… I don't know. But I felt something when it passed over us—a strange sense of foreboding. I felt something _in the storm itself_. It was beckoning to me, Anna, making me feel—scared."

"Do you have any memories after that?" Anna sat back down and faced her sister.

Elsa paused and thought about it, searching her mind for anything useful. "The clock struck midnight when the heaviest part of the squall passed over Arendelle. After that, nothing—not until you woke me up in the stables."

"Is there anything significant about this date?"

Elsa shrugged in embarrassment. "I've been so busy that I don't even know what date it is."

"October 12th."

Elsa paused, and then her eyes widened. "It is?" Something nagged at the back of mind causing her to feel an immediate unease. She shook her head a little to clear it, and then suddenly remembered. "Fimbulwinter."

"What?"

"Didn't mother or father ever tell you tale of Fimbulwinter on the autumnal equinox?" Elsa looked expectantly at her sister.

Anna shook her head. "No, they never did. Is it a Faerie Tale?"

Elsa looked incredulous. "No, it is from Norse Mythology. Fimbulwinter—_Fimbulvetr _in the old tongue—tells of the harsh winter that will precede the end of the world. Fimbulwinter is three successive winters where snow comes in from all directions, without any intervening summer. There will be war and rumors of wars to come. Blood ties will wither away and kin will lie with kin; brothers will kill brothers without remorse."

Anna was still for many moments, and stared at her sister wide-eyed. "Today is the autumnal equinox?"

Elsa nodded. "I believe it is."

The princess continued to stare at her sister until the silence became awkward. "Are you kidding me? The end of the world?" Anna laughed. "Oh, Elsa, you had me going there for awhile, but…" Her laughed stopped at the serious look in Elsa's eyes. "No, you can't possibly think that an old wives tale is talking about you and the end of the world."

Elsa stood and began to pace. "I don't know what to think, Anna. You wanted me to make a connection about this day and I did. What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to make some sense and not talk gobbledygook."

"You know me, Anna. I'm the most rational person that you know. Don't you think I know how crazy all this sounds? But it seems to all fit together."

Anna indicated herself. "This is me you are talking to, Elsa. I'm the most impulsive and irrational person that _you_ know—and I have a problem with your reasoning."

Elsa stopped her pacing and turned to her sister. "My powers are gone. Well, maybe not gone but changed to something else. What if they—our parents—were trying to prepare me for something, but were cut short by their untimely deaths? What if I'm some sort of catalyst for war, Anna?"

"It's a story, Elsa."

"These stories are part of us for a reason, don't you think? They last for centuries, passed on from one generation to the next. For what purpose?"

Anna felt a coldness steal over her heart at Elsa's words. "I don't know the purpose. Perhaps to teach us something?"

Elsa began to pull at her hair, as the pain in her head worsened. "Or to warn us!"

"This is crazy, Elsa." Anna couldn't believe the direction their conversation was taking. "I can't believe that you are seriously believing all this."

But Elsa wasn't paying any attention to her. "The end of all things…"

At that moment there was a knock at Elsa's door. The blonde sat down abruptly, clutching at her head. "Will you get it, Anna? I'm not feeling well."

Anna moved to the door and opened it. "Yes, oh, hi Gerda."

The older woman blushed a little. "Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness, but I have two messages for you."

"For me?"

"Yes, madam. First, the Ice Master Kristoff wants to know when he can see you and Captain Gunnar of the Royal Guard wishes to convey his concern and hopes that you are doing well."

"You may tell both of them that I'm doing fine and will contact them as soon as I can."

"Very well, good day, Your Highness."

Anna closed the door. "Hey, Elsa, I've got to…" She stopped speaking as she walked over to where Elsa was slumping in her chair, apparently asleep. She looked at her for a few moments before retrieving a blanket to drape over her. "You sleep well, Elsa. I'll be back later."

* * *

Anna ignored the messages from Kristoff and Gunnar at the moment and made her way to the castle Library on the first floor, near Elsa's meeting hall. The massive two story room was lined with mahogany book shelves, and filled with thousands of books, tomes, and maps that didn't appear to be in any order. There were scattered tables about the room and those were piled high with various books, untouched for many years.

Anna looked around her and sighed. How was she supposed to find anything in this mess? She realized that this giant room had not been used since their parents died and was in dire need of some attention.

As she was about to leave a middle-aged woman entered and looked at her quizzically. "May I help you with something, Princess Anna?"

"Yes—and you are?" Anna smiled and extended her hand.

The servant awkwardly shook the princess's hand. "Miss Beatrice, Your Royal Highness. I am the current Librarian—so to speak."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I was trained to be a royal tutor. But after Henric left I was put in charge of maintaining this library. As you can see, I'm not very good at it." Beatrice blushed then looked to her feet.

Anna's smile widened. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not very bookish myself. But I was hoping you could lead me in the right direction."

Beatrice looked up. "What is Her Highness looking for?"

Anna looked about the room. "I was wondering if we had any books on folklore and mythology."

Beatrice indicated the other side of the room, near the fireplace. "Over here, Your Highness." She strolled to the shelves and swept her hand over them. "Henric told me that your mother had these volumes placed here for easy access."

The redhead looked surprised. "My mother did? Did Henric tell you why?"

"Apparently her former Majesty had quite the interest in subjects like mythology, astrology, and the interpretation of signs and wonders."

"Beatrice, do you know if Henric still lives in Arendelle? I would very much like to talk with him."

"I'm afraid that Master Henric died a few years ago, Your Highness." Beatrice paused in her thinking, looking somewhat troubled.

"What is it, Beatrice?"

"Well, I seem to remember Henric mentioning something about a box of letters."

Anna stepped towards the older woman. "What kind of letters?"

"A series of letters and journals that your mother kept. After your parents died, Your Highness, Master Henric was tasked with discharging a lot of the personal papers of the King and Queen."

Anna looked horrified. "Were those records destroyed?"

"No, Your Highness. But I am at a loss as to where Henric filed those archives. But I am sure they are somewhere in this—room."

Anna's eyes raked over the massive library, again noticing its complete disarray. "Beatrice, I'm going to give you a new assignment. I want you to find those records—and as soon as you can, okay?"

"Yes, Your Highness. May I start after lunch?"

Anna waved her hand. "Of course. Be sure to find me as soon as you have any news, okay?

"Very well, Your Highness."

When the servant was gone Anna moved to the shelf of mythology books and was a bit overwhelmed by the number and titles, not knowing exactly what she was looking for. She passed over the tomes about Greco-Roman myth and focused on the other works. After a few minutes she found an old leather bound volume entitled, _Codex Regius_.

Anna stopped and blinked several times. There was something very familiar about the title that had her feeling a little uncomfortable. _Where have I heard of that before? _She reached into the shelf to retrieve the book, it started to crumble so she eased it out of the shelf very carefully.

She took it to a nearby table and set it down gingerly. After opening it to the first page she saw handwritten notes all over it, written in a familiar style. Anna sat back as she recognized her mother's handwriting; there was no mistaking the elegant scrawl. As Anna read she realized that her mother wasn't so much taking notes on what she read in the tome but was leaving instructions of some kind. _She's not writing this for herself, but, to Elsa, maybe?_

Anna realized then she may have not really known her parents at all, because there was obviously much that they had kept hidden from her.

* * *

Kristoff waited patiently in the castle kitchen around lunch time, waiting for Anna to appear, as she usually did. But as the time passed and she didn't appear he lost hope of seeing her that day and left for the city, where he intended to drown his sorrows in many pints of ale. But Anna did enter the kitchens, only a few minutes after he left, and sat down at a table near a small fireplace.

She watched the cooks for a few minutes as they prepared the midday meal and thought about the events of the last two days. It was almost too much to think about, and truth be told, she wished none of it happened at all. It wasn't fair. She had just gotten her sister back less than a year ago, and now there was something threatening to take her away again. A lone tear slowly fell and reached up to harshly wipe it away.

"Princess Anna?"

The redhead turned to the servant's entrance to find Captain Gunnar there. "Oh, hi."

The man's smile faltered at her crestfallen look. He walked over to her table. "May I sit down, Princess?"

Anna sat up and clasped her hands in front of her. "Of course, Captain."

"Gunnar," the man prompted. When Anna shyly smiled at him he pressed forward. "Princess, there are still three companies of soldiers patrolling the city, and, well, the citizenry are beginning ask why they are there. I was hoping you could order them back to their barracks."

"I completely forgot about them, I'm so sorry! Yes, see to right away, Gunnar. I surely don't want the people speculating and worrying over nothing."

The Captain eyed Anna. "Forgive my boldness, Your Highness, but is it truly nothing?" He lowered his voice. "What about those killings?"

"Have rumors started already?" Anna's eyes widened. "What have you heard?"

"So far nothing, as we've been able to quell the incident and swear to secrecy those that did witness the crime."

Anna sat back at the Captain's words. It was a crime, and her sister was the one who committed it. "Thank you, Gunnar. If you don't mind, could you see to the soldiers now, and have the guard report back to the castle?"

"Your bidding, my Lady." The Captain rose an bowed with a flourish before leaving.

When the Captain was gone one of the junior cooks approached the princess. "Forgive me for intruding, Your Highness, but would you be interested in lunch right now?"

Anna felt her stomach growl. "Sure, what is it?"

"A lamb and cabbage stew, Your Highness."

"Sounds great. Will you send two large bowls to the Queen's room, plus some bread and tea."

The young man bowed. "Very well, my Lady."

* * *

Anna returned to her sister's rooms with the _Codex Regius_, carefully wrapped up in a cloth. She put the book down on the table next to the fireplace and noticed that Elsa was not in the chair she left her in. She went into the bedroom itself and found the Queen sleeping in her bed. Anna slowly approached her and noticed that Elsa was mumbling in her sleep, apparently having a vivid dream.

The princess carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and gently shook Elsa's shoulder. "Come on, Elsa, time to wake up."

The Queen swatted the hand away and moaned in pain. "No… no…"

"Elsa, please, wake up." Anna's brow furrowed in worry.

With a yelp the Queen abruptly sat up yet her eyes remained unfocused. She grabbed at Anna and held onto her fiercely. "I…I had a nightmare."

Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder, holding her protectively. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Elsa shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut. "It was horrible, Anna. I dreamt that I was some sort of enormous, insidious monster—terrorizing Arendelle and slaughtering my own people."

The redhead gently rubbed her sister's back. "It was nothing more than a dream, Elsa. You see, you are awake now—and look at you. You're not a gigantic monster, you are you."

Elsa held on tighter, relishing her sister's comforting words. They flitted within her, and helped to dispel the darkness that was threatening to engulf her. "I'm not a monster."

"No, you are not. So please stop thinking about it."

Elsa pulled Anna closer. "Thank you, Anna."

Anna smiled into Elsa's shoulder. "You know that we're not supposed to be touching each other."

"I know." The blonde looked up into her sister's eyes, and sighed. "I really appreciate you, Anna. I—" She was cut off by a knocking at the door.

Anna withdrew from Elsa's embrace. "I'll get it. I arranged to have our lunch in your suite again. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all." Elsa's eyes lingered on Anna for a moment before turning away to get dressed. She didn't tell Anna about her entire dream, and left out the first part of the nightmare… _Blood ties will wither away and kin will lie with kin…_


	5. Chapter 5

Anna finished her bowl of stew and placed it back on the table. After that, she very carefully unwrapped the _Codex Regius_ and turned it to the first page to find more of her mother's handwritten notes. She turned the book towards Elsa. "Do you recognize the script, Elsa?"

The Queen munched on a chunk of cheese. "That's mother's handwriting." She gently edged the book closer by dragging it by the cloth. "Oh, my, I recognize this book, indeed. I remember sitting on her lap while we both read it. This is how I learned Latin. But I don't remember her leaving notes in it."

Anna thought about it for a few moments. "Maybe she wrote those after you two read it together. They seem to be directed towards you."

"Let me see." Elsa glanced over the first sentence. "'For my Chosen One.' That's how she addressed this book, did you see this, Anna?"

"Yes I did." Anna sat back and folded her hands in her lap.

Elsa noticed this gesture. "What?"

"I'm just having a really hard time with this, Elsa. It's all so crazy—no, I don't think mother was crazy, but, gods, I just don't know anymore."

"Anna, you're not making any sense."

The princess's eyes widened. "I'm not making sense? Forgive me for being a skeptic."

Elsa continued to turn the pages until she reached a familiar poem. "Here it is, Anna, the _Vafþrúðnismál._ In this poem Odin questions the jötunn, Vafþrúðnir, about Fimbulwinter, and asks him what needs to take place in order to forestall it. He also inquires as to who will survive it."

"What is a jötunn?"

"What? Oh, it's a forest spirit." Elsa didn't look up from the book, and continued to read.

Anna closed her eyes for a moment, absorbing all that Elsa was telling her. "Elsa?"

"Yes…"

"Could these—forest spirits—be the trolls?"

The blonde looked up and stared at Anna, her jaw slack. "Why didn't I think of that? I mean, after all these years, I never made that connection." She got up and moved to stand in front of the fireplace, placing her hand on the mantle. "Could it really be possible? If it is, then why haven't they talked to me about Fimbulwinter and the prophecy? Why have they left me in the dark all these years?"

Anna got up and stood by Elsa. "Why don't you tell me about the survivors?"

Elsa took in a ragged breath. "Well, the myth speaks of Líf and Lífþrasir. Líf is an Old Norse feminine name meaning, well, 'life' or 'the life of the body'. Lífprasir is the masculine for 'lif's lover' or 'the lover of life.' I'm surprised that I still remember all this, Anna."

"So, does that mean people will survive this 'end of the world'? Then the whole world doesn't come to an end?"

"No, that's not what it means at all. Líf and Lífprasir survive in a hidden forest during the Fimbulwinter—the _Hoddmímis holt_—and emerge unscathed to re-populate the land."

Anna sighed. "I'm confused. So, its not really the end of all things?"

"But, Anna, you are missing the entire point of this conversation. _What does all of this have to do with me? _ That's the question I need the answer to. Because I have a nagging feeling that I won't be in that forest, and neither will you." Elsa ran her hand over her head, and winced. "Those bumps still really hurt, a lot."

"Here, let me see." Anna took hold of Elsa's head and gently parted her hair where the bumps were. The wounds seemed to be healing but now two small bony protrusions appeared at the center of each wound. Anna ran her fingers over them, and then released her sister's head. "Oh, Elsa."

Elsa's head snapped up. "What?"

"I think its time to see the royal physician."

The blonde grabbed her sister's arms. "No, no. That is unacceptable. I thought we were going to figure this out on our own." She dragged her sister over to the small table. "We have the book. All we have to do is find the answer."

Anna sighed, raking her hand through her hair. "Elsa, I need to see your back."

"Why?"

"I have a suspicion."

The blonde stared at her sister for a few moments, and a small amount of fear crept up into her bones. "Alright." Her eyes never left Anna as she unbuttoned her blouse. It fell to the floor by her feet. "What are you looking for?"

"I don't know, yet. Please turn around."

Elsa did and Anna's hand went to her mouth at what she saw. Two small vertical slits appeared between the Queens' shoulder blades. Anna ran her finger over one slit and was able to separate the skin. She looked inside and saw a dark leather-like 'skin' between the folds. Anna swallowed hard and resisted the sudden urge to vomit.

"Can you feel this?" Anna tugged at the dark skin.

"Yikes!" Elsa abruptly whirled around. "What did you do? That really hurts." Her tirade stopped at the look on Anna's face. "Tell me."

Anna went white, and could not find the words to express what she was currently feeling. She was horrified and more than just a little sick to her stomach. But before she could say anything she turned away from Elsa to collect her thoughts. One thought entered her mind—_wings_—and it forced her to stop being in denial. Something was horribly wrong with Elsa, ever since the previous night, and she needed to recognize it wholeheartedly so as to be a help to her, and not a hindrance. Elsa needed her now, more than ever, and she vowed to herself not to doubt her sister ever again.

Anna turned back and gathered Elsa into her arms. "I'm here for you, Elsa. I believe you, and I'm sorry for doubting you in your time of need."

Elsa closed her eyes, feeling her sister's resolve in that one embrace. "Thank you, Anna." She tightened her hold, bringing their bodies flush together.

Anna let out a deep breath and relaxed, feeling better. "I think we need to do away with that rule."

"What rule?"

"You know, our agreement not to touch." The redhead turned her head and breathed in the unique aroma that was Elsa. "I need this from you."

Elsa opened her eyes at the feeling of Anna's breath on her neck. Something inside her snapped to attention at the intimate contact, and a low growl sprung from deep within her throat. She loosened her hold on Anna before it could fully rise to the surface. "Anna, please…"

The princess did notice the change, and stepped away from her sister. "You see, nothing to be afraid of."

Elsa grabbed her shirt and put it back on, and then she sat down abruptly. She tried to hide her current state by bringing the book into her lap. "So, Anna, tell me what you found on my back."

But Anna had seen the bulge at her sister's crotch, and decided to ignore it just like Elsa was. She sat back in her own chair. "There are two open wounds on your back, Elsa, and there is something between the skin."

Elsa's complexion went even whiter. "What does it look like?"

"Well, it looks and feels like leather." Anna was quite familiar with leather, as she was used to the saddle.

"My, God, Anna. Really?"

"Elsa, if you don't want to see your physician right now we should at least consult the trolls, and find out what they know."

"It does seem like the next logical step, doesn't it?"

"Yes, and I think we should go now." Anna tried to appear authoritative. "Please?"

"Will we get back before tonight?" Elsa looked expectantly at Anna.

"I don't know, why?"

"Look at what happened to me last night, Anna, and what I became. How will you survive if something like that were to happen again?"

Anna swallowed hard. "I never thought of that—wait, what? But last night was the full moon, wasn't it? And that violent storm happened." She went over to one of Elsa's windows and opened the drape. "Look—a clear sky, with only a few white clouds. I think we need to take the chance, don't you?"

"I suppose. Anna, I'm frightened." Elsa put the book on the table and stood up, facing away from her sister. She desperately didn't want her fear to take over, because if it did she would be plagued with inaction. "What am I to do?"

Anna calmly walked over to her sister, but didn't touch her. "Then let me go alone."

Elsa whirled around, her face contorted with fright. "What? What am I to do when you are gone?"

Anna sighed and brought her hands to her face. "We're in a predicament, Elsa. Either let me go alone or come with me! Whatever we will face—we'll face it together. But if you're coming with me, you can't go dressed like that. You'll need to change your clothes."

Elsa looked down at her simple shirt and trousers. "What's wrong with the way I look?"

"You're a Queen—okay, never mind. But you do need a pair of boots and an overcoat."

"How will we get past the Royal Guard?"

"Leave that to me." Anna paused at the Queen's door. "Just give me a half hour, will you? I need to talk with someone first."

* * *

Anna had to cajole her way out of the castle without a royal guard, and walked the streets of Arendelle unmolested. The townspeople were used to her presence, as she visited often either alone or with Kristoff. She turned a corner and saw her destination, a tavern that a certain mountain man frequented often.

Kristoff downed his ale and then pointed to his stein. "Another one, please."

The barkeep shook his head. "Don't you think you've had enough, friend?"

The blonde man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Not really."

"I would say you're done for the day."

Kristoff turned at the familiar voice, his mind was a little fuzzy. "Well, if it isn't Her Highness. What brings you to town, Anna? Care to knock back a few with an old friend?"

His icy stare unsettled her. "I didn't come here to fight with you. Can we talk, please?"

Kristoff grabbed his stein and motioned for Anna to follow him to a secluded corner, by the fireplace. He sat down with a thud and took a large swallow. "What is it, Anna? Do you need another window to fix?"

Anna reached over the table to take his hand but blonde man wrapped his hands around his ale. "I'm sorry I missed you at lunch."

"I waited for you, but you didn't come, again. Look, I realize being a princess means you have a lot of duties. But—I want to spend more time with you, too."

"Will you tell me what's really bothering you, Kristoff?"

Kristoff sank in his chair, and any and all spitefulness drained from his features. "I don't belong here, Anna. We both know that I don't."

Anna felt her heart sink. "What do you mean? I thought you liked being here with me."

The mountain man smiled somewhat. "I do like it. But, sometimes I feel useless, Anna. I have no purpose here, I don't fit in at parties—I feel…"

The redhead grabbed Kristoff's hand in hers, and held it dearly. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"I need to go, find something that I'm good at. I need to work, Anna. I need to feel like I'm worth something, and I'm not finding it here in Arendelle."

The princess wiped at a few tears. "So, you've made up your mind, then? Is there anything I can do to help you stay here."

The mountain man reached over the table and wiped away Anna's tears. "I am sure, Anna. I'm going to stick around until the week is over, and then ole Sven and I are hitting the road. Winter is around the corner, and the ice harvesters will need some help."

"It that really what you want to do, return to that back-breaking work."

"Hey, it's an honest living, isn't it? But, who knows? I hear there are a lot of opportunities in the Americas."

Anna stared at the mountain man, wishing that she could confide in him all the problems of the last two days, but she couldn't. Perhaps if he did know he would agree to stay and be there for her. She wondered if she had somehow manipulated him into staying all these months. He was right, he didn't fit in with courtly life, and she had chosen to blindly ignore that fact. There would be nothing she could say to change his mind and she knew it.

There were so many things that she wanted to say, but Elsa was waiting. So she said the only thing she could. "I love you, Kristoff."

"I know, feisty pants, and I love you. I hope you know this isn't good-bye—more like, I'll see you around sometime."

* * *

Anna merely put the officer's overcoat on Elsa and placed a hat on her head. No one paid any attention to them as they rode their horses outside the city, heading southward, towards the land of the trolls. The forests were thinner and weather was more temperate in this part of Arendelle. Some say the trolls dwelt in the area because of the hot springs throughout the zone. But it was more because of the solitude, as forest creatures usually sidestepped this part of Arendelle's greater forests.

They rode in silence for quite some time, and Elsa wondered what was keeping her usually chatty sister so quiet.

Anna and Elsa rode on at an easy pace, content to enjoy the sun and each other's company. Elsa had long since given up the officer's overcoat to Anna, who was not as acclimated to the cooler weather as she was. After awhile, Elsa shifted in her saddle, trying to get comfortable.

The Queen spurred her horse to trot alongside her sister. "How are you doing, Anna?"

The redhead saw the look on her sister's face. "I'm probably doing better than you. What's wrong?"

Elsa blushed a deep red. "I can't seem to… find a comfortable position on this saddle."

"I did put your saddle on that horse, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did." The Queen shifted again, and her expression changed. "But, well, how to put this delicately…"

Now, it was Anna's turn to blush. "Oh—oh, I'm sorry, Elsa." She spared a quick glance before turning away. "Does it hurt?"

"Anna!" Elsa closed her mouth and did not dare say more, lest she be the brunt of many future jokes from her younger sister. She was not hurting, but having the opposite problem. The constant friction on her new flesh was disconcerting, and driving her to distraction. "How do men do this," she mumbled.

"What was that?" Anna turned to look at Elsa.

"Nothing."

Anna stopped her horse and looked at the eastern horizon, beyond the tall horse chestnut and beech trees. Her horse sniffed at the air and became agitated.

Elsa picked up on this immediately and reined her horse to a stop. "What is it, Anna?"

The princess frowned and continued to stare at the eastern sky. "I don't know, but I feel something—just over the horizon, over there." She steadied her mare by giving it a gentle tug.

The blonde lifted her head and rose on her stirrups. "I don't see anything."

Anna petted her horse's neck. "I didn't say I saw anything. It was just a feeling, I'm sorry."

"Why are being sorry for following your instincts, Anna. I am counting on you and your intuitions to help me get through this."

The princess turned to her sister. "I know you are. But we need to avoid the east if at all possible."

"The trolls ought to be at their autumn dwellings, don't you think?" Elsa's horse started to whinny, very loudly, so Anna reached into her bag and gave it a small sugary treat. When the horse settled they headed back along their southern route.

After about an hour they began to see the evidence of hot springs, as the vegetation changed, and the foliage appeared to be greener and thicker. Their open path gave way to rocky fields, and the horses slowed down to maneuver through the new terrain. The tall beech trees were gone, and the horse chestnuts were now scattered and few.

Elsa finally stopped her horse at the first noticeable hot springs and turned towards her sister. "Do you feel like taking a rest? I would love to get off this saddle."

Anna turned her horse and looked at their surroundings. "It seems safe enough. Sure." She dismounted and tied the horse to a branch on a nearby chestnut. When she turned she noticed that Elsa had yet to get down. "Is something wrong?"

Elsa turned her head towards the east. "I'm feeling it, as well—a queer sense of—urgency." She turned her body and faced her sister. "Perhaps we should press onward?"

"That's fine by me. You were the one who said you needed a break."

The blonde fiddled with her reins. "I really do. Okay, coming down." The moment her booted foot hit the ground there was a loud clap of thunder from the eastern sky. Her horse rose on its hind legs and neighed in fright, and then took off.

Elsa was driven back when the horse reared up, and she landed flat on her back. She winced in pain and then groaned. Anna rushed to her side in an instant. "Elsa! Are you alright?"

The Queen opened one eye. "Please tell me that your horse didn't bolt."

Anna looked confused. "Why would it?"

Elsa sat up and looked at her sister quizzically. "Well, don't you think the thunder was particularly loud?"

Anna sat back on her heels and tilted her head. "Elsa, what are talking about? I didn't hear anything."

"What?" Elsa winced again as she tried to stand, and ended up on her rear again. "Why do you think my horse took off?"

"I saw you trip on your own stirrup. You then screamed and fell flat on your back. I think you frightened the animal." Anna stood and offered her hand to Elsa. "Come on."

But Elsa didn't move. She continued to stare at Anna as if she was crazy. "Anna, I did hear something and it sounded very much like thunder—in the east."

Anna nodded. "I believe you." She tucked some loose hair behind her ear and decided to redirect Elsa's attention. "I brought a snack if you're interested. No, don't try to get up. Let me bring it to you." Anna returned with her large saddlebag and pulled out a picnic blanket, which she spread out before Elsa. She then placed some cheese, bread, and pastries on it.

Elsa scooted on the blanket and tore off a rather large piece of bread and folded it over a chunk of cheese. "When did you have time to do this?"

"You know me and food—hardly one without the other." Anna sat next to Elsa and pulled out a bottle from the bag. "Want some?"

"What is it?" Elsa leered at the bottle.

Anna laughed at the look in her sister's eyes. "No, its not liquor. I swear, Elsa, you and your spirits are too much. Its just spring water."

The blonde grabbed the bottle and drank a few mouthfuls. "Thank you, Anna."

They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes, saying nothing, each lost in her own thoughts. Finally, Elsa had enough, and wiped her hands clean. "Excuse me for a moment while I—take care of business." She got up and disappeared behind a huge boulder.

Anna continued to munch on an apple, and threw away the core once she was finished. She waited patiently for a few minutes for her sister to return, but Elsa didn't come back. The redhead picked at nonexistent threads on her skirt and finally looked up. "Elsa?"

There was only silence.

The princess got up and slowly approached the boulder. Her senses came alive as she felt a prickle of fear rise up from her stomach. "Come on, this isn't funny. Elsa?" She took a few more steps around the boulder and then saw the blonde about twenty feet from her, leaning against a nearby tree. Elsa had one hand on the tree and was staring at her crotch.

Anna blushed and turned away, she walked a few feet but then stopped, her curiosity piqued. When she turned around she saw that Elsa was using her other hand to slowly stroke herself. The redhead scooted further behind the boulder, and peered out from behind it. Her eyes widened and she took in a deep breath. _What am I doing…?_

Anna reddened again and this time hurriedly went back to the blanket. She picked up the bottle and then took a large drink, wishing that it were wine instead of water. _Anna, Anna…this is your sister! What were you thinking?_ Anna buried her face in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. _What if she noticed? No, Elsa was too busy to notice me gawking at her. _

Confused, Anna got up and started to put away their brief picnic. After a few minutes she heard a rustling behind her and saw that Elsa was coming around the boulder, looking very much relaxed and relieved. The princess turned away from her sister and loaded the blanket into the saddlebag.

Elsa picked up on her sister's nervousness. "Are you okay, Anna?"

Anna continued to buckle the straps of the bag. "I have to learn to adjust, that's all."

Elsa gently took hold of Anna's arm and turned the younger woman to face her. "What's wrong, Anna? You know you can tell me anything and I won't judge."

"When you didn't come back right away I went looking for you." Anna looked up into Elsa's eyes. "I'm sorry."

The Queen withdrew her arm. "I see." She backed up a step at Anna's expression. "I needed to—relieve the pressure, Anna. I'm the one who ought to be sorry, not you."

"Well, are you?" The question came out a little too harshly.

Elsa didn't answer right away. Hurt, she stepped away from Anna and turned from her. "Yes, I am."

Anna cringed on the inside. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Elsa, especially in her time of need. "Look, I have to get used to the idea that your body is changing. You can't help it, I know. It makes me feel so helpless that I can't do anything for you."

"You do help, Anna. You are here with me now, are you not? I don't think I could get through this if it wasn't for your help and support." She breached the gap between them and folded her arms around her younger sister. "I love you—you mixed up, crazy girl."

Anna leaned her head on Elsa's shoulder. "We need to go, before it starts getting dark."

The Queen looked around her. "It looks like I'm walking."

"Nonsense, you can ride with me."

Elsa was dubious. "How can we both fit on that animal?"

Anna batted away a fly. "Look at you; you're as thin as a rail. Believe me, we both can fit on the saddle." She mounted her mare and offered her hand to Elsa. "Come on, Elsa."

The blonde put her foot in the stirrup and grabbed Anna's hand; and then hoisted herself behind Anna. She was surprised to discover more than enough room for both of them.

* * *

Pabbie watched the east and noted the distant wail, the same loathsome sound that the Queen of Arendelle had heard. He turned his head, and saw that his fellow trolls were still curled up, resembling rocks. _They didn't hear it…_ He wasn't shocked by this knowledge, but made resolute in his pledge to the late king and queen of Arendelle. _Signs and wonders…_ He scratched his head and lowered his eyes; and thought about Agdar and Idun, wondering for the umpteenth time if either one had properly prepared Elsa for the upcoming trials. There was still so much that he didn't know; being so abruptly cut off from the royal family. As time went by the old oaths were forgotten, magic was done away with, and the spirits of the trees and springs fell silent. It was the way of things; change. Diplomacy replaced feudal loyalties, science trumped the reading of the stars, and people grew restless as new technologies shrunk the world into a microcosm of itself.

He looked to the east again and shuddered, the weight of many worlds falling onto his less than sturdy shoulders. But there was one thing that he was certain of.

The Queen of Arendelle was on the move, searching for answers…

* * *

_**Look for Elsa to go through some drastic physical changes in the next few chapters…please review.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Elsa circled her arms around Anna's waist and held on tightly. The ground was now scattered about with heavier rocks, and their horse slowed down to maneuver about them. When the horse reared up a little Elsa closed her eyes and whimpered, such was her fear. In fact, the farther into the land of the trolls they progressed the higher the Queen's anxiety became. To the point of her believing that she was going to fall off their mount at any moment.

Finally, Anna had enough. "What is wrong with you, Elsa? Settle down back there, will you?"

"I can't." Her eyes darted about.

"Well, if you squeeze any tighter I won't be able to breathe." Anna turned her body to face her sister. "It's alright, Elsa. We're close to the troll's home—probably less than fifteen minutes away."

Elsa held on tighter as the pain on top of her head became unbearable. She leaned her head on Anna's shoulder and groaned in her discomfiture. "I'm sorry, but the pain is more than I can take."

"Do you want us to stop and take a rest?"

"Please, can we?"

Anna looked for an appropriate place to stop and saw an outcropping about twenty yards ahead that was surrounded by three large boulders. A large horse chestnut grew beside the boulders, creating a shaded place to stop. As Anna steered the horse closer she felt a shift on her back.

"Elsa?" The Queen's arms loosened around her waist. She was just about to panic when she heard a soft snore behind her. Elsa had fallen asleep. Anna grabbed ahold of the blonde's arms to keep her from falling. "Its okay, only a few more feet—and, there. Wake up sleepy head."

Elsa groaned, and then yawned while she lifted her head. "But I don't want to be awake, Anna. I don't feel the pain when I sleep."

Anna quickly dismounted and held Elsa by her waist as the Queen came down from the horse. The blonde was exhausted, and there were the beginnings of dark circles under her eyes. Alarmed, Anna wrapped her arm around her sister's waist and led her over to the shaded area under the ledge. She placed the blonde against the tree and then retrieved the saddlebag and blanket. After she placed the blanket on the ground she guided Elsa over to the blanket and sat her down. The blonde slumped down until she was on her back; she was asleep within seconds. Anna removed her coat and placed it over her sister's prone form.

Anna sat next to Elsa and used the time to examine the top of Elsa's head, where the wounds were. She gently parted her hair and saw that the bony protuberances appeared to be bigger than they were in the morning, and the wounds themselves were bleeding slightly.

Anna took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, her heart breaking immediately. "Oh, Elsa, what are we going to do?" She laid Elsa's head in her lap and softly stroked her platinum blonde hair, thankful that she was asleep. Anna had to remind herself that her sister was only 22 years old, and was much too young to be going through her current trials, and by default, so was she. The redhead scooted back until her back rested against the chestnut and she closed her eyes.

Anna's eyes snapped open and for a brief moment she did not know where she was. But she felt a weight on her lap and looked to down to find her sister's head on her lap, just where she left it. The Queen was still sleeping. Sometime during her nap she had curled up into a fetal position and appeared to be… sucking her thumb.

The princess couldn't help it, she laughed, hard. "You are too adorable, Elsa. I am never going to let you forget this." She nudged the Queen's shoulder and Elsa whimpered. But it was enough so that said thumb popped out of the blonde's mouth.

Elsa stirred and opened her eyes. "Oh, I needed this rest, thanks, Anna."

"You were sucking your thumb, just like a baby."

The blonde slowly sat up. "What on earth are you talking about? I don't suck my thumb, Anna—that would be undignified."

"Oh, yes, you do—and if you think I'm going to let you forget it you are sorely mistaken."

"I'm sore, alright." Elsa ran her hands through her hair and felt the hard protrusions. "They are bigger, aren't they?"

Anna's smile faded. "Yes. I inspected your head earlier and saw them."

Elsa looked up into Anna's eyes and took her hand. "What happens if the trolls can't heal me?"

"I'm not even entertaining such a thought, Elsa. They have magical powers, and you did tell me Pabbie cured me when I was little."

"But what is happening to me seems to be more than just a magical spell. We are involved in some sort of ancient prophecy—and are playing a part in an unfolding drama."

"Are you saying that you don't think we have a choice but to go along with it? I don't believe in that kind of thinking. I believe we create our own fortunes, and that they can change."

Elsa smiled, and lowered her head. "You don't believe in Fate?"

"Not anymore."

"Did you once?"

"I did, when I thought I was to marry a prince and live happily ever after. But look at what happened with Hans, that cowardly good-for-nothing fu—"

Elsa placed her a finger on Anna's lips. "Please, no negativity. I don't think I can take it right now." She sighed heavily, still a little groggy from her sleep. "I need for you to promise me something, Anna?"

"Anything. Whatever you want and need I will do it." Anna squeezed Elsa's hand a little tighter.

"If the trolls can't help me, and if my body doesn't stop changing, I don't think I'll be able to rule Arendelle for much longer."

Anna's eyes went wide. "What?"

Elsa indicated her body. "Look at me, Anna. I'm turning into—a freak. Soon my hair won't be able to hide whatever these things are. And I can feel those things on back, and then let's not mention…" She grasped her crotch. "…this!"

The princess tore her hand away and stood up. "I can't—I don't want to talk about this now!"

The blonde stood as well and forced her sister to face her. "We have to, Anna! I don't want to abdicate the throne, it's not in me to give up and quit. But I also don't think my subjects will want an aberration ruling them, do you? Look how long it took them to accept my powers; and what is happening to me now is…is…" Elsa let go of her sister's arms. "You'll have to take over, Anna. I can see no other way around this."

A few tears slipped from the princess's eyes. "I wasn't raised to be a Queen, Elsa."

"I can teach you everything that I know. You won't be without any help. Perhaps I should move to the North Mountain and stay there."

"What? No, you can stay at the castle in Arendelle. There is no way I'm going to let you go up there alone!" Anna was adamant.

"Don't you see? Anna, you have to listen to me now, while I still have the ability to think and reason. Arendelle will need a strong leader, someone who loves it just as much as I do, and that person is you. I certainly don't want to leave it in the hands of one our petty nobles. They'll war with each other until a victor is claimed—they'll spoil the land and themselves in the process, and crush the people. I don't trust any of them." Elsa breathed in deeply. "Do you think I want to return to the North Mountain? There is nothing up there but ice and isolation. But at least I wouldn't be able to hurt anyone—hurt you."

Anna was devastated. "You wouldn't hurt me, Elsa."

"I wouldn't on purpose," Elsa stated. She sat back down, weary and drained.

At that moment the wind picked up, blowing and swirling around them. Anna looked up at the sky and saw the beginnings of storm clouds on the eastern horizon. "Oh, no."

* * *

The Grand Pabbie paced back and forth on the threshold of his Kingdom and waited for the search parties to return. He had sent out all of his people to search for the Queen, and so far none of them returned with her. He was worried. The signs were clear and unmistakable and he silently cursed himself for not perceiving them earlier. But the stars were veiled, refusing to give up their secrets, and he could no longer read the messages hidden in the runes. Time was slowly but inadvertently catching up to him, and for the first time he felt old.

His arm joints ached and his fire crystals were dim. His eyes were once burning embers of wisdom and knowledge. But that fire had burned out long ago, and what was left, was only a shadow of his former self. But the appointed time would come whether he was ready for it or not.

He stopped pacing and looked to the east; roiling black clouds were on the horizon, and it was time to prepare for the arrival of the Queen.

* * *

Elsa slumped on the saddle of the mare, holding on as best she could as Anna walked ahead of the animal, holding its reins. The wind screamed in the east, and the animal became more skittish as the minutes flew by. But Anna was able to keep it from bolting by feeding it one sugary treat after another. They rounded a rather large boulder and caught sight of Pabbie on the border of the Valley of the Living Rock.

Excited, Anna waved at him. "Grand Pabbie, over here!"

The shaman turned towards the voice, and breathed a sigh of relief. He lifted his hand and clenched his fist, indicating for trolls to assist the Queen. Several trolls came forward, some took the reins from Anna and led Elsa away to a safe place. The others led the princess over the Grand Pabbie.

Anna tiredly walked to the older troll and bent down on her knee. "Its good to see you again, Grand Pabbie."

"Please, Princess Anna, I am just Pabbie." He looked over her shoulder to the east. "Will you come with me please."

The shaman led Anna deeper into the forest that stood in the center of the Valley. The horse chestnuts and beech were scattered about the outside ring of the old wood, but at its center lie the oldest coniferous forest in the Kingdom of Arendelle. There was a proliferation of hot springs scattered all around the perimeter of the forest, and hot steam coated the trees and dripped down like rain. The conifers rose high in the sky, and lanterns swung easily between them.

Anna looked up at the growing dark sky and shivered. "Where is Elsa?"

"I am taking you to her now. It will night soon and of what we must speak may not be uttered in darkness." Pabbie passed between two boulders and followed a path through the trees that eventually led, after several long minutes, to an opening to a rather large cave. He stopped at its entrance and pointed inward. "The Queen rests in that dwelling, and so must you Princess. Until tomorrow." The troll didn't wait for a response and immediately left to follow the path deeper into the forest.

Anna stood there for a few moments, startled by the sudden departure of the shaman. "Well…"

She entered into the cave and noticed that the rocky tunnel sloped downward at a small angle and then opened up to a rather large dwelling space, about two stories high. Anna looked around but couldn't find the source of light, as it appeared that the rocky walls were themselves glowing. There was a rather large bed that was built between four stalagmites and Elsa was laying on it. Other than the bed, the cave was devoid of furniture that a human could be comfortable on.

Anna rushed over to the bed to check on Elsa. She moved to the blonde's feet to take off her boots. After she removed the right boot she was caught off guard by the coloring of her sister's foot. She wasn't sure if it was caused by the strange lightening in the cave or if she was really seeing a bluish tint to Elsa's foot. At a closer examination she noticed that the skin on the foot seemed to be thicker, with a scaly appearance to it. She quickly removed the other boot and saw the same thing on the left foot.

Anna threw the boots to the side of the bed and took hold of Elsa's hands. They looked normal to her, but instead of breathing a sigh of relief, she inhaled sharply and looked at her sister's feet again, her suspicion confirmed; Elsa's feet were changing color. She sat back on the bed and fresh tears ran down her cheeks.

"Please don't cry."

The princess looked up and saw that her sister was awake and watching her. "I can't help it."

Elsa sat up and looked at her feet. She dispassionately passed her hands over them, feeling the thickness of the skin and the scale-like appearance. After sighing she looked to Anna, who was still crying. "Will you listen to me now, snowflake?"

Anna threw her arms around Elsa's neck and cried even harder. Elsa had not called her 'snowflake' in years, not since they were young children. "Oh, yes, Elsa."

The blonde wrapped her arms around her sister's waist and pulled her closer. "I will abdicate quietly and you will be queen, Anna."

The princess's body wracked with sobs. "No, no…"

"It is the way of things, is it not, dear sister?" Elsa pulled Anna onto her lap. "One sovereign replacing the other in a dire time of need. I'm sure the nobles will be glad to be rid of me."

Anna's hands fisted and she rested them on Elsa's shoulders. "I can't…I don't want to do it."

Elsa slowly began to rock back and forth, and gently wiped away Anna's tears. "I know you don't want to. But I will be there, remember? I'll lead you through all the steps. You won't be alone, Anna."

Anna's body reacted, imperceptibly, to the motion under her and she squeezed her eyes shut. Elsa was barely moving, but it was enough to stir something in Anna that she never felt before—something that was raw and unyielding—and it forced her mouth open with a loud gasp.

The pant seemed to break the spell between them, and Anna slipped off of Elsa's lap with the tiniest of whimpers. "I can't, Elsa, I'm sorry."

Elsa lowered her eyes and covered up her lap. She wasn't sure at that moment what Anna was saying 'no' to. "You must be Queen if I can't be." Elsa slid over to the side of the bed and picked up her boots. "No more dresses for me."

Anna looked at her over her shoulder. "Why not?"

"Imagine what my feet will look like in heels. I don't want anyone seeing the changes, Anna. Only you."

Anna turned around and faced her sister. Could she really do what Elsa was asking of her? Only this morning she wanted to vomit at the look of the 'wings' coming out of Elsa's back. Would she be able to tolerate the dreadful transformation her sister was going through? Another terrible thought occurred to her—would Elsa also lose her mind? Would this bodily transformation do something to the inner person that was Elsa, to the sister she loved more than life itself? Being a Queen seemed like a simple thing compared to what she would have endure if Elsa slowly withered away.

"I'm hungry."

Anna's turmoil was interrupted by Elsa's simple declaration. She smiled despite herself. "I don't have anything to eat. I didn't bring the saddle bag with me."

Elsa finished putting on her boots. "Let's look about, shall we, and see what we can find." She didn't have to go far, as there was a basket at the cave's entrance. Elsa picked it up and brought back over to the bed. "Someone is taking care of us, I think."

Anna opened the basket and found food in it. "I didn't think the trolls ate any of this." She pulled out a sausage, bread, cheese, and various fruits from the basket. "Look at this, Elsa."

"I see. Do we have a knife to cut that sausage?"

Anna found one, and plates. After cutting off a large slice of meat she gave it to Elsa.

The blonde piled her plate high with food and began to eat like she hadn't had a decent meal in days. "I've never had much of an appetite, but I feel ravenous."

Anna looked up and wondered if this was part of the change that her sister was going through. "Don't worry, Elsa, I'm always hungry."

"I know. I remember mother having to bribe me to eat my supper."

The princess stuffed a hunk of cheese into her mouth. "She did?"

"Almost every night. I think that's how I became addicted to chocolate." Elsa smiled as she ate, almost as if she didn't have a care in the world.

It made Anna a little nervous, wondering if Elsa was already losing her senses. "Are you okay, Elsa?"

The Queen put her plate on her lap. "Considering everything I seem to be in fine spirits tonight."

"Why?" It was a simple question, but carried more meaning behind it.

"Because we are safe here in this cave, under the protection of a shaman. I have a feeling we won't have too many more nights like this, Anna, and I really want to enjoy it. Is there anything to drink in the basket?"

Anna dug through the bottom of the basket and produced a small jug. But it contained only water. "Just water, I'm afraid."

"Well, that's too bad. I'd have rather enjoyed a good cup of ale."

"But you don't like beer, Elsa." Anna snickered at the pout on her sister's face.

"I know. But I'm really in the mood to experience as many things as I can, Anna, before—I can't." Elsa grimaced and clutched at her head. "I'm in pain again."

"Perhaps its time to sleep. I've noticed it helps to get you through the pain."

Elsa looked up. "Do you mind if I sleep?" She put down her plate and took off her boots before crawling under the covers. "Just give me a few minutes."

Anna sighed and watched Elsa as she snored. "Good night, Elsa."

* * *

Anna opened her eyes and blinked, and the reality of where she was broke over her. She felt a pressure on her back and realized that Elsa was holding onto her from behind, her arm wrapped around her waist. The blonde's shallow breathing was ghosting over the back of her neck. At that moment Anna felt completely loved, and it was a bittersweet feeling. After a short while, she felt Elsa shift behind her, her hip aligning with her own, and then her sister whimpered softly.

Elsa's need was obvious, yet Anna was dumbfounded on how to help her. A part of her bewilderment was due to her own inexperience in such things. Kristoff had been too much of a gentleman to even broach the subject, and she never asked him to. His kisses were hesitant, tremulous, and more often than not left her bereft, and wanting. The other part of her, long dormant for want of companionship, basked in certain curiosity, and wanted to ask Elsa what she needed, and that frightened her. There was something about her that was different, and it had nothing to do with her physical transformation. Anna fought with own ignorance on how to describe it. The only thing that her mind could think of was how the men at court delighted in when she changed her perfumes. It never failed to arouse their—curiosity, or their ambitions toward her. Yes, it was as if her sister had changed her 'perfume' somehow, and whatever it was that was wafting from her… it was… it was…

Intoxicating.

Anna's head was swimming with the implications of her new knowledge. But she didn't get the chance to think more about it as Elsa stirred behind her, rousing from her sleep.

The Queen opened her eyes and rolled over onto her back. She turned her head and saw Anna beside her. "Is it a good morning?"

"I don't know, yet," Anna breathed, trying to keep her keep her rapid heartbeat under control.

"What do mean by that?"

Anna turned over and was about to say something but then she stopped. There were tiny spots of blood on top of Elsa's hair. She sat up and pulled Elsa with her. "Let me look at your head, okay?"

Elsa nodded and lowered her head. "What is it?"

Anna looked at the clearly visible horns and let out a ragged breath. "They're longer, Elsa. About an inch long now."

"Will my hair cover them?"

"For now, but, I don't know about tomorrow." Anna pulled Elsa's head to her and kissed her on the forehead. "Will you let me see your back?"

Elsa turned away from the princess and lifted the shirt over her head, not bothering to unbutton it. Anna kept her eyes closed for a moment, to prepare herself for what she might see. The slits on the Queen's back were at least five inches long now, and the dark leathery skin that was protruding from them stuck out about two inches. Anna touched one of the 'wings' and it flapped.

Anna jerked her hand away. "Did you do that?"

Elsa lowered her head and sat quiet for a moment. "Yes, I did. Your fingers were—ticklish."

"Can you keep them inside your body? Do they have to come out?"

Elsa focused her attention on her back, and on her new wings. She consciously thought about the wings, and wanted them to retract, but they stayed outside of her body. "No, I can make them move, but I can't put them away."

"Queen Elsa!"

Both Anna and Elsa started at the intrusion, and Elsa hastily put her shirt back on. But before either one of them could say anything Bulda came into view, hopping into the cave with a goofy grin on her face. But when she saw Elsa she stopped, mouth open slightly, and tilted her head. "Dark magic."

Anna and Elsa looked at each other before Elsa stood. "Hello, Bulda. Its nice to see you again."

Whatever fog Bulda had been in dissipated, and she warmly embraced the Queen. "Queen Elsa!" The troll wrapped her stubby arms around Elsa's legs. "My father wonders when he can see you."

Anna spoke up. "Now would be a good time."

* * *

Bulda led the Queen and princess out of the cave and into the deeper forest of the Valley. They followed a rocky path towards its center and the farther they walked the denser the wood, until the branches obscured the light from the sun, and the morning was turned night as if my magic.

After awhile Anna took Elsa's hand. "Do you mind, Elsa?"

Elsa offered her sister a reassuring smile. "I don't mind at all. Be brave, my little snowflake."

Anna blushed and walked at her sister's side. "You haven't called me that in years."

"There are many things that I plan on rectifying."

The narrow and dense path finally opened up to a rather large circular clearing in the exact center of the forest. All the trolls were gathered there now, sitting in semi-circular rows around the dell. The Grand Pabbie stood at the center, on a flat spherical stone that was polished a bright white, and in the center of the polished stone stood a massive tree, reaching up beyond all the others. He motioned for the Queen to come over to him the moment he saw her. Anna let go of Elsa's hand and nudged her forward.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle." The old troll took Elsa's hand in his and closed his eyes. "Welcome to Yggdrasil—the center of the world. Midgard is yours, but Asgard is home to the gods, and you may not dwell there. Here you will find Dagr and Nótt existing in harmony, one with the other, and no opposition between them."

Elsa stood, mouth agape, and absorbed Pabbie's words. "I understand."

"If you mock me Ratatoskr will nip at your heels."

The blonde stood tall. "I will not mock you, Grand Pabbie. Veðrfölnir will see that I do not go back on my word."

Pabbie visibly relaxed, and opened up his arms to the Queen. Elsa allowed the shaman to embrace her. "Greetings, adopted daughter."

Elsa stood back. "We seem to be at an appointed hour, Pabbie. May I call my sister to my side?"

"Of course."

Elsa turned around and held out her hand to Anna who immediately came to her. Elsa smiled reassuringly at Anna and the princess squeezed her hand.

Pabbie let go of Elsa's hand and began a slow walk around the massive center tree. Anna and Elsa followed him. "The universe is in constant kinesis—observe the three great roots of this tree—Sól, Máni, and Jörð—live in harmony, one to the other, always in motion." The troll stopped and turned to those trolls gathered. "Have I spoken a lie?"

A series of calls and yells could be heard coming from the trolls, agreeing with each other that no lies were spoken. The vehemence in their voices startled Anna, and she held onto Elsa's hand a little tighter.

Pabbie held up his hands and his fire crystals glowed a bright yellow. "We have entered into a new dimension where the meetings of the worlds are inevitable. We find ourselves at the end and at the beginning simultaneously." He turned and looked pointedly at the Queen. "You, Queen Elsa, are at the meeting point of what is and what is to be."

Anna let go of Elsa's hand and took a step closer to the old troll. "What does that mean?"

Pabbie pointed to Elsa. "The Queen is the _axis mundi_, and the nine worlds spiral into her."

Anna frowned. "I think we need for you to be a little less cryptic."

Elsa's eyes went wide at her sister's forwardness, and she shook her head. "No, Anna. Just listen, okay?"

Pabbie eyed Anna for a moment before he turned back to the Queen. "If I may ask, Queen Elsa. Do you exhibit the changes?"

Elsa lowered her head. "Do you mean these?" She parted her hair for the old troll to see.

The Grand Pabbie sighed. "I see. I hoped that you would be spared these alterations."

"Wait, what? You knew this was going to happen to me?" Elsa couldn't keep the anger from her voice. She reached back and grabbed Anna's hand.

"I am sorry for all that your parents didn't teach you. They were tasked with preparing you for the day of Fimbulvetr."

Elsa was livid. "They told me about it every year on the solstice. But beyond that, nothing!"

"Your mother was taught to read the signs and to interpret them for you."

"She was?" Elsa looked to Anna then back to Pabbie. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"There was a stubbornness in her heart." Pabbie looked sad, as if he was reliving a memory.

"No, there wasn't!" Angry, Anna pointed her finger at the old troll. "She was decent and kind!"

"I never said she was otherwise." Pabbie looked to Elsa. "I feel as if I have let you down, Queen Elsa. When you parents died, I should have taken it upon myself to prepare you for the trials to come." The old troll slumped, his shoulders sagging. "Even now there is war on the horizon."

Elsa looked surprised. "Impossible. Arendelle is at peace."

"It is not of Arendelle of which I speak." Pabbie's face hardened. "You have enemies, Queen Elsa. Even now there are plans against you. Old enemies are now friends, and they draw their armies together to strike as one."

Elsa was shocked. Arendelle had diplomats in all the surrounding Kingdoms, and none of them ever complained of unrest. "Will Arendelle fall?"

"That depends."

The blonde's hands drew into fists. "On what?"

"Acceptance."

Elsa could feel the horns growing on her head. She reached up and felt them as they grew to the top of her hairline. In pain, she reached for Anna. "Anna, I need some help."

Anna grabbed Elsa by the waist and prevented her from falling. She turned angry eyes on the shaman. "Look at what's happening to her! Can't you see that she is in pain? Why don't you do anything for her?"

The Grand Pabbie reached over to Elsa and put his hand on her head. His fire crystals glowed stronger and the energy flowed from his crystals to Elsa's head.

Elsa groaned as her head was enfolded in a soft luminescence. The energy swirled around her head until it was engulfed completely. Anna watched as Elsa recovered from her fainting spell. The Queen sighed and shook her head slightly, her plait loosened and her hair fell over her shoulders. After a short while, she straightened with Anna's help.

The Queen looked over to Pabbie, who was leaning heavily on his walking stick. "Are you alright, Grand Pabbie?"

A few trolls wandered over to the shaman and were helping him to stand. Pabbie looked up and his eyes locked with the Queen's. "Do you accept, Elsa?"

Elsa gave Anna a reassuring nod. "What is it that you need me to assent to?"

"The dragon."

* * *

_**At this point I am borrowing some themes from Norse mythology to explain Elsa's transformation. Let me know how I'm doing, please review.**_


	7. Chapter 7

Pabbie nearly collapsed from exhaustion, and allowed his fellow trolls to guide him into a nearby cave, similar to the one that Elsa and Anna had used. He sat in a wide overstuffed chair and the Queen and Princess pulled up chairs to sit by him.

The old shaman sat very still for a long while, and only spoke when Anna began to fidget. "We need to speak of Jörmungandr, Queen Elsa."

Elsa sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. "I am more interested in speaking of Arendelle, and of this war you say is coming."

"War is inevitable, as Fimbulvetr is inevitable. Destiny cannot be broken, nor can men meddle in the affairs of the gods."

"But what of Arendelle," Elsa insisted.

"Arendelle finds its enemies conspiring against it, they fulfill the ancient prophecy, yet they remain in ignorance and darkness. They fail to understand the ageless prognostications." Pabbie sighed heavily. "They will fight under a banner of their own delusions. "

"There is something I don't understand," Anna spoke out. "I thought there has to be three years of endless storms without summer."

Elsa turned to Anna and gently took her hand. "Did we not spend three years completely apart, after our parents died? It was like an eternal winter for me—my powers out of control, being without you. The Fimbulvetr exists within me, doesn't it, Grand Pabbie?"

"It subsists within you and in the world, as you can now see."

Elsa glanced at her sister, her feelings raw. "Don't you see, Anna? The three years of horrible winters was mine alone to bear, which I did." The Queen looked down, not wanting to relive those memories. "Yes."

Anna nodded, although she remained slightly doubtful. "I understand, Elsa."

The Queen sat back in her chair. "I do not worry over myself, but for those that are under my protection—my Kingdom."

Anna squinted at her, incredulous. "Well, I'm anxious over you." She looked over at Pabbie. "What can you do to help her?"

Pabbie frowned. "Your sister lies at the center of what is to come, Princess Anna. I can not change this."

Elsa reached over and grasped her sister's hand. "Please, Anna."

Anna wrenched her hand free and stood up. "No, I refuse to believe this! You have to do something to help her. Look at what's happening to her body. Are you saying you can't cure her?"

Pabbie looked confused for a moment. "You wish me to interfere with Jörmungandr and the Fimbulvetr? This I cannot do—I must not do, if destiny is to be fulfilled."

The princess began to pace. "I don't care about destiny, or prophecies, or any of that! My sister is—"

The blonde stood and wrapped Anna in her arms. "Please, Anna. Will you do a favor for me?"

Anna blinked back some tears. "Anything, Elsa."

"Stop your arguing, it is not helping me. Okay?"

Anna squeezed her eyes shut and blew out a ragged breath. "Okay."

The Queen guided her sister to her seat. "Please sit down, Anna." Elsa returned to her own chair. "Tell me of Jörmungandr."

Pabbie blinked. "Midgard is not completely abandoned or left unaided in the days of Fimbulvetr. There is the prophecy of Jörmungandr, the serpent, who will stand in the midst of war and the nine worlds to bring about harmony, with the jötnar. Only when there is concord between Jörmungandr and jötnar may the Fimbulvetr pass by the world, and cleanse it."

If Elsa was shocked or surprised by Pabbie's words she didn't show it. She merely nodded, and then asked, "What is jötnar?"

"The inhabitants of one of the nine worlds. They are mysterious and secretive, yet they hide in the midst of Midgard, for all to see. I can tell you that if you do not deny Jörmungandr the jötnar will come to the aid of Arendelle at its time of need. This is what I discern from the prophecies."

Elsa sat back in her chair and pondered everything that the Grand Pabbie revealed. After a short while she looked up. "Am I the Jörmungandr?"

"Only if you accept destiny."

Elsa stood again. "I need a moment. Please excuse me." With that she left the cave and went outside to the forest. It somehow looked different from when they first entered it; looking more enchanted, as if otherworldly creatures really inhabited it. She wandered about the trees in thought. Was it really as outlandish as it sounded, or as Anna made it out to be? She was born with powers, after all, and nobody seemed to question that once it was no longer a secret. The castle staff didn't even bat an eye, nor did the people when they saw how benevolent a ruler she was. Was it possible that there were magical creatures about, and that the world was subject to them and the ancient stories?

If the people accepted her ice powers could they not accept other magical things? Elsa snorted, and stopped moving. Magic. It was scary what she didn't know of the things that were not of this world, that were not of Arendelle and its people. Had she really lived in ignorance all these years? And if so, at what price?

The Queen looked up from her wanderings and saw she was at the Yggdrasil—the center tree at the heart of the forest. She looked up into its high branches and thought she saw… There was something amongst the higher branches of the great white tree, and it was looking at her, she was sure of it. Then it moved, and skipped downward, from one branch to another, its eyes never leaving her as it moved.

Elsa realized that she wasn't afraid of the creature as it slithered down towards her. It stopped when it was about twenty yards from her, and poked its head out from the branches and eyed her warily. Elsa had seen lizards in the Arendelle zoo, but this was something beyond that, because there was certain intelligence in its eyes. She felt as if the creature was scrutinizing her, as if it were taking her measure.

As soon as she locked gazes with the creature all doubts and uncertainties faltered within her. Here was something that was not part of the world she grew up in, but something that lived here, in this magical forest, and was so obviously alive.

Time seemed to stop. But, then again, the passage of time had no meaning here.

Just as Elsa was about to turn around and leave the wyrm spoke. "Greetings, Queen Elsa of Arendelle. I am Níðhöggr of the Yggdrasil."

Elsa wasn't surprised that the beast could speak, and she could feel the creature's menace. "What do you want from me?"

"Surely kin will recognize kin?" The dragon rolled onto its back and appeared to smirk.

"What am I to you?" Elsa couldn't be sure, but she felt a loathsome humor roll off the beast.

"Brother, sister—what does it matter?"

Elsa eyed the creature speculatively. "So, you believe we are related in some way? How can we be when I am a human and you are…?"

"Me? Oh, do not concern yourself over what we are—only be happy in that we finally meet. That is the most important thing, Queen Elsa."

"Oh, so this is an auspicious occasion?" Elsa was not about to trust what the creature said to her. Her inner voice was practically screaming at her at this point, and she listened.

The dragon was not put off. "Do I detect a hint of sarcasm, Queen Elsa? This won't do at all." It's voice deepened. "I am here to enlighten you."

"Tell me, then, friend. What is the next move?"

"Oh, no, Queen Elsa. We are not at odds at all. But I really must insist, in the name of hospitality, that we should dispense with all this flummery and nonsense." There was a cold fire burning in its eyes. "Shall we have a proper greeting, as friends?"

Elsa noticed the look in its eyes, and stood firm. "If you are expecting me to fear you then you are mistaken."

Níðhöggr cackled. "Fear? Why ought you to fear me, Queen Elsa? I only wish is to welcome you. Just beg me to come down from Yggdrasil so that we may be friends."

Elsa was wary, and knew not to do as the creature insisted. "I'm afraid I won't do that. It wouldn't be prudent." She felt a familiar tingling in her hands.

The wyrm paused, its face momentarily hardened. "What of hospitality? Surely we can at least embrace?"

The blonde shook her head. "No." The prickling in her hands becoming almost painful.

The wyrm contorted, and its face became human-like. "Do not mock me, Jörmungandr! I would tear at your face if only you would let me!"

Elsa felt something stir within her, a feeling of complete familiarity, and then _certitude_. "You know that I'll never consent to you coming off Yggdrasil. You bring pestilence and havoc. You would pollute the world with your chaos should I let you down. Yes, did you think that I didn't know you, Níðhöggr—or that you'd trick me into a friendly greeting so that you could escape? I do know you, wyrm, and brother. I have seen you in my dreams." Elsa lifted her hands and a blast of ethereal ice flew to surround the base of the giant white tree. It floated there, and moved into an orbit, surrounding the tree. "Go back and hide in the three roots."

The creature hissed and then disappeared back into the branches, and there was a mighty rumble at the base of Yggdrasil as Níðhöggr passed into the foundation of the world, never to be seen again.

Elsa took a step back and looked at her hands, and marveled at the return of her powers.

Back in the cave, Pabbie's eyes went wide at the tremor and he looked pointedly at Anna. "She has accepted." He collapsed on the ground.

* * *

The Duke of Weselton cried out from his bed as the earth shook, and screamed for his nurses to come to his assistance. But they were terrified by the earthquake, and hid under a table as the portraits fell from the walls and shattered on the carpeted floors. Weselton shot up into a sitting position, his eyes fixed on something that only he could see, and before he could utter another word, he fell back down to his bed and died.

* * *

Prince Hans of the Southern Isles sat with his generals in the great meeting hall of the castle, strategizing over the upcoming war with Arendelle when the floor began to shake.

"It's an earthquake!" General Hilfred shouted.

"No one move!" Hans rested his hands on the table, and smiled serenely.

Hilfred panicked. "We need to get outside!"

After a few moments the walls stopped shaking and the floor stopped moving. Hans looked up at the ceiling before speaking. "That was an auspicious happening, don't you think, General?"

The man looked at his Commander as if he was crazy. "We could have been killed!"

Hans merely shook his head. "I don't believe in coincidences, do you? Here we are planning out our war against our enemy and the earth shakes? It is a sign from God that we are the righteous ones, and that our war is just! Does anyone disagree with me?" When no one answered the prince pressed forward. "Alright, then. Now, let us continue…"

* * *

Arendelle absorbed the earthquake as it did all others, and its citizens braced for more. But the earth shook only once. There was no panic in the city, and the people returned to their businesses once the shaking was over.

* * *

Anna rushed to Pabbie and knelt down next to the old troll. "Grand Pabbie!" She held his face and frantically looked about the cave. "Help! Will someone please help us?"

Several trolls entered the cave and went over to their fallen shaman. They picked him up and carried him away just as Elsa was returning to the cave. She stared at the old troll then she went over to her sister.

"Anna, what happened to Pabbie?"

Anna was visibly shaking. "He… he crumpled after—what was that, anyway?"

Elsa wrapped an arm around Anna's waist and looked to the entrance of the cave. "Something foul tempted me while I was out thinking, and… well, I took care of it." Elsa looked at Anna and wondered how much she could tell her. "Do you trust me, Anna?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Do you? I need for you to let go of all doubt, and if nothing else, believe in me and in what I must do to ensure that you and Arendelle remain safe."

Anna frowned. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"No, not bad. But I fear you may not like some of the decisions I will make." Elsa wrapped her sister in a tight embrace.

Anna rested her head on Elsa's shoulder. "Well, what kind of decisions?"

"Let us not worry over such things right now." Elsa turned her head and buried her nose in Anna's hair. It felt good to hold her, perhaps a little too good.

Anna didn't appear to notice Elsa's slight discomfort. "I hope Pabbie will be alright. Elsa, how much longer do we have to stay here? I want to go home."

The blonde smiled and tugged at her sister. "Come on, let's go outside; I want to show you something." Elsa led Anna outside the cave but then stopped abruptly. "Where did the trolls disappear to?"

Anna looked about the woods. "How could they be gone so quickly?"

"Never mind, let's go." The Queen led Anna back through the forest and took her to the Yggdrasil. When they were at its base Anna stared wide-eyed at the large white tree and the ice slowly circling around it.

"You did this, didn't you, Elsa. Your powers are back."

"They never really went away; were only subdued for a time being until I was reconciled to the world." Elsa looked up, and noticed the sun's position in the sky. It had not changed since their arrival in the Valley.

Anna glanced at her sister. "You sound like Pabbie." She shyly took her sister's hand. "Tell me what's going on up here." She pointed to Elsa's head.

"Besides my new horns? I think I need to be Jörmungandr."

Anna sighed, and remembered Elsa's plea to trust her. "You are going to have to give me some time to accept it—with everything that's going on."

Elsa leaned forward, until their foreheads were touching. "Don't feel that you are alone in this, there are a few things that do trouble me." She put her hands on Anna's hips. "I don't want to hurt you, Anna. I need reassurances from these—trolls, that I don't become a complete monster. I need to know that I will retain my humanity." There was _certainly more_ that troubled her about the Fimbulvetr itself, and _specific_ parts of the prophecy. But she kept those to herself at the moment.

Anna felt a few tears again. "I refuse to believe you will be a monster, Elsa."

"I have no desire to be one, either." Elsa took a step back, and decided to lighten the mood. "I don't know about you but I could sure use some time in one of these hot springs."

"There was one near the entrance to the cave we slept in." Anna looked about her at the forest. "But I don't know how to get back there."

Elsa looked ahead, as if she was seeing it in her mind's eye. "I know. Follow me."

* * *

Pabbie opened his eyes to see his daughter, Bulda standing before him, along with his apprentice, Hølje. They were in the great clearing at the Valley of the Living Rock. Pabbie rose and noticed that the other trolls had already withdrew into themselves.

The old troll sighed. "Hølje, tell me what you have learned?"

The younger troll's fire crystals glowed a very faint yellow. "It is Weselton and the Westegaard's. They draw up plans against Arendelle—and they call upon the ancient feudal loyalties to draw other Kingdoms into the great battle to come."

Pabbie looked troubled. "Whom else do they call upon?"

"They have sent emissaries to Arendelle's chief ally—Corona."

"How can they?" Bulda cried. "Corona against Arendelle—kin against kin."

Hølje looked to the east. "See—even the elements themselves take sides. The winds and the great storms have fallen under the influence of the enemies of Arendelle."

* * *

Elsa followed her instinct and led them back through the forest to the cave they spent the night in. It didn't surprise her to find their mare at the cave's entrance, or the provisions provided for them for the journey back to Arendelle. What did surprise her was that her own horse was there, as well, and it appeared to be unharmed and well cared for. The Queen wondered again about the true nature of the trolls whose land they were in, and of what magic they possessed. She watched as Anna calmly walked over to the beasts and rummaged in the saddlebag, looking for the sugary treats.

The blonde blinked, and noted again, that the hour had not changed. She felt a little panicky, even though they were safe in the Valley. "Anna, ought we to head back to Arendelle?"

The princess looked up from where she was giving her horse a treat. "You think so?"

"How can we be gone for so long without anyone noticing?" Elsa stood at the entrance to the cave.

Anna noticed her sister's uneasiness. "I thought you said we are safe here. Don't you think Arendelle is, as well?"

Elsa blew out a ragged breath. "I'm sorry, Anna. Well, you see, the sun hasn't moved since we arrived at this Valley—my senses are just a bit overwhelmed." She slumped against the rock wall. "I'm not feeling…"

Anna was at her side in an instant. "Come on inside, only a few steps and we'll be in there." After she took hold of Elsa she led her inside the cave.

The cave had not been disturbed since their earlier time in it, and Anna led Elsa over to the large bed and helped her to sit down. When she was certain that her sister wouldn't fall over she went to fetch some water. When she returned Elsa had removed her shirt and was trying to scratch at her back.

"What is it?" Anna placed the jug of water next to the bed and kneeled next to her sister.

"My back is hurting; it feels as if my skin is ripping apart."

Anna stood quickly and turned Elsa so she could see her back. The slits were longer, and the leathery skin that protruded from them extended about six inches from her back. Anna examined the wings and for the first time saw the outline of bone in them. She turned back to face her sister. "Can you move them?"

"That's the problem, Anna. It hurts."

"Maybe if you tried to stretch them. You know, ease the stiffness a little."

Elsa concentrated on her back and the wings began to stretch apart until there was a definite pop. The Queen started at the sensation and her eyes widened. "What happened?"

"They came out a little more, and there's a little blood on them." Anna still had to fight against the urge to vomit at the sight, as it sickened her a bit. "Come on to the hot spring, Elsa, we need to clean your back."

The Queen bent down and removed her boots; she felt a minute amount of blood trickle down her back. She looked up and saw the look in Anna's eyes. "This disgusts you, doesn't it?"

The princess glanced at her sister; her emotions conflicted. The physical changes in Elsa bothered her, she knew as much. But there was something else about Elsa—it wafted from her in waves—a musky scent of some sort, which had her captured. "I don't know how you want me to answer that, Elsa. But blood does make me queasy, yes." She took Elsa's hand. "Come."

Anna led them to the nearest hot springs, about forty feet from the cave's entrance, which was partially hidden by tall foliage. She helped Elsa to the edge of the water and turned around as Elsa removed her pants. When her sister was in the water, Anna hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit self-conscious.

Elsa groaned as she slid into the hot steaming water. She moved until she found a sturdy, flat stone to sit on and then dunked her head. When she surfaced with a splash Anna was still not in the hot spring with her, but was sitting on the water's edge. "Is something wrong, Anna?"

Anna hesitated for a moment, and tried to sort through the conflicting emotions within. The princess squirmed a little, and was experiencing an unfamiliar feeling. "Would you believe me if I said I was feeling shy?"

Elsa snorted, and offered her sister a crooked smile. "No, I would not. Now come on in, it will be good for you."

"Turn around, please."

Elsa complied. From behind her she could hear the rustle of clothing being discarded, and a certain inner part of her perked up at the sound. She slowly turned her head slightly and caught a glimpse of freckled skin. The impact on her psyche was immediate and lasting, and she turned away from an unsuspecting Anna and closed her eyes. There was something inside of her—primal and in need—and it was growing, slowly but surely. How long would it be until she was completely shattered by this hungry beast? Elsa didn't know, but she had to protect Anna from it. The beast growled and fought to surface completely to claim its prize. But Elsa fought it down, and it cowered, but not before leaving a physical evidence of its presence.

As Anna dipped into the hot springs Elsa slid farther away from her, in the pretense of dunking her head again. But Anna did see, and she closed her eyes and wrestled against her body's visceral reaction to the hardened flesh.

Elsa and Anna locked gazes; this fight was going to be tougher than they originally thought.

* * *

**_For some reason this chapter was very difficult to write, and I'm not completely happy with it. Oh, well. I've taken a few liberties with the Norse myths in this chapter to fit in with Elsa's transformation, and tweaked them just a little bit. Again, please let me know how I'm doing, please review. The next chapter will find us back in Arendelle._**


	8. Chapter 8

_**This is the first chapter that really warrants a M rating**_.

* * *

Elsa and Anna guided their steads through the rocky terrain on the outskirts of the Valley of the Living Rock. The further away from the troll's territory they moved, the worse Elsa began to feel. It wasn't long before she was slumped in the saddle again, cradling her aching head. Anna maneuvered her horse towards Elsa's and took hold of the reins, leading them towards a shaded grove of horse chestnuts, where the ground had more grass and was less rocky. She found a well-shaded tree and stopped the horses. After she tied the animals to the tree she spread the blanket out and then helped Elsa from her horse and guided her under to the coverlet.

Elsa fell to her knees and then bent over, clutching her head. She moved her hands over the horns before collapsing on her side. "Anna, I'm not well."

Anna brought over the saddlebag and moved to sit next to her sister. "It's the horns, this time, isn't it?"

The Queen closed her eyes. "Yes. Maybe I ought to have stayed with the trolls."

Anna reached over and brushed a few errant locks off of her sister's forehead. "What, and drive them just as crazy as you do me?"

Elsa eyed Anna, and then chuckled slightly. "Am I that bad?"

"Insufferably so, I'm afraid."

The Queen rolled onto her back. "I don't suppose we have any food, do we?" Her stomach growled rather loudly.

Anna opened the saddlebag and peered inside. "Hmm, let's see." She reached into the bag and pulled out bread, cheese, dried fruit, and what appeared to be aged salami. "All the comforts of home."

Elsa sat up slowly. "Remind me once we get back to the castle to send a note of thanks to the trolls for their hospitality." She grabbed the sausage and tore it in half. "Just the kind I like, imagine that." After taking a large bite of the meat she grabbed a large chunk of cheese and wrapped it in bread. "Anna, what are you going to eat?"

Anna grabbed the rest of the salami. "We are sharing, remember?"

"I'm so hungry I think I could eat all of this." The Queen looked at Anna imploringly. "Pretty please, snowflake?"

The princess squinted her eyes. "What was I saying about you being insufferable?" She looked at the sausage in her hand and then tossed it to her sister. "Here, I guess I'm really not that hungry."

Elsa reached down and pulled all the food to her. But after a quick reconsideration, she pushed the dried fruit towards Anna. "Here, you have to keep up your strength."

"Oh, really? Geez, thanks, Elsa—what would I do without you to look after me?"

The Queen stopped just as she was about to bite down on some cheese. "I don't know, Anna. Maybe you'd be a skinny little runt." Elsa smiled, then, her look mischievous. "No, wait! I misspoke. Anna, you _already are_ a runt!"

Anna flexed her fingers. "I know someone who wants to be tickled."

Elsa put down her bread and cheese. "You wouldn't dare manhandle your Queen."

But Anna had already pounced, and tackled Elsa to the ground. They rolled around like children, each squealing as the other tried to tickle. But Elsa used her newfound strength to her advantage, and managed to pin Anna under her as she tickled her mercilessly.

Anna screeched and bucked her hips in a vain attempt to push Elsa off of her. It didn't work, and it only made the Queen's efforts more ardent. They wrestled like this for a few minutes until their breathing hitched, and their writhing became something else. Elsa adjusted her position and aligned her hips over Anna's, and before she could register what was happening, she ground her hips down, and thrust hard against her.

At first Anna's eyes widened in shock. But as Elsa's hardened flesh rubbed against her center, she threw her head back, and screamed in pleasure. Anna was responding to the contact, and clawed at Elsa's back in her heated desire. As Elsa used her knees to spread Anna's legs farther apart, the princess reached between their bodies to unclasp Elsa's pants.

Elsa gasped as Anna's hands brushed over her erection, and the action snapped her back to reality. She lifted off of her sister and scrambled away from her. "Oh, my god, Anna. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me—I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Anna squeezed her eyes shut as Elsa's pleas slammed into her like ice-cold water. She managed to get her breathing under control and then rolled onto her side away from Elsa. A part of her wanted to lash out at Elsa, and blame her completely. But she knew that would not be fair. Elsa may have initiated the thrusting, but she was the one who responded lustfully to it. "No, Elsa, I'm sorry, too."

The Queen scooted away from Anna and leaned against the tree. She hastily re-buttoned her trousers as the apologies rolled off her tongue. "Sorry…oh, Anna…I'm…mortified…oh, god…"

The princess sat up, and scowled at her sister. "Stop it, Elsa." She sniffed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "This thing that is happening to you…is…there must a way to control it."

Elsa buried her face in her hands, her remorse evident. "I don't know what to do, Anna. My control over my own body is slipping away from me." For the first time since her troubles started, she was awash in self-doubt. "What am I going to do, Anna? Please help me."

Anna furiously wiped away her tears, then straightened out her skirt. She felt just as useless as Elsa did at the moment. "I don't know, Elsa." Anna looked up to where Elsa was cowering against the tree. "What do you need?"

The Queen blushed, and fought against making a terse response. The last thing she wanted to do was add insult to injury. "I only know I don't want to hurt you; and I keep saying that I won't. But…my body…needs."

Anna swallowed back more tears, and she took in a sizeable breath before speaking. "When we get back to Arendelle I'll think of something, I promise. Now, go on, Elsa and finish your meal. I'll—be right back." The princess hastily scrambled to her feet and walked away.

Elsa lifted her head and watched as Anna walked away from her. Then she squeezed her eyes shut and broke down, releasing all of her pent up emotions and negativity. She cried like she never had before; her wails drifting beyond the forest to the land beyond.

Anna felt the impact of those wails as she walked away and her first instinct was to run back, but she resisted, as she needed a moment alone. She pressed forward on shaky legs and eventually stopped by a small stream, and all but collapsed on a large rock next to the water. Anna dipped her hand in the stream and then splashed the water on her face.

It was time to accept a stark reality.

Elsa was changing into some sort of beast as described in the prophecies, and that creature was definitely _male_. Anna groaned and cradled her head in her hands; she didn't want to even think about this, let alone acknowledge it. But the fact of the matter was incontrovertible, no question about it, and it was something she needed to accept. If she was to be a help to Elsa then there was nothing that could remain hidden or kept secret. Everything needed to be brought into the light, so to speak, or else what kind of help could she hope to be. Anna looked up and into her reflection in the stream. _You've been a coward, Anna._

The princess stood up and squared her shoulders, and then made her way back to the tree that Elsa was still slumped against. Her crying had stopped, but when she looked up to see Anna approaching she turned away from her. Anna knew she had to be certain and resolute.

"Elsa, we need to talk."

The Queen didn't turn around, her face turned away. "I'm sorry but I don't—"

"Elsa, you have a penis."

The Queen's head snapped up, and she stared at her sister, horrified. "I… I already know this!"

Anna's tone softened. "I know you do, and up until a few minutes ago I was living in denial of it—I didn't want to accept it because, well, it made me uncomfortable." When Elsa tried to hide her face she calmly went up to her and knelt down. "Stop trying to hide, Elsa. I needed to accept this new—aspect about you, and I want you to know now that I'm trying."

Elsa looked up again. "What does this mean?"

"No more secrets, Elsa. No more half-truths. They only get in the way, don't you think?" Anna saw her sister's almost imperceptible nod. "Please face me, Elsa."

The Queen was hesitant as her feelings were still rather raw, but she did as Anna requested. "What do we do now?"

Anna smiled. "What you do now is finish eating while I think about ways to help you."

"Are you not hungry, as well?"

Anna sat down next to Elsa and picked up the dried cranberries. "Not for any of this; I'll eat when we get back to Arendelle." She munched on a fistful of berries. "Do you have anything you want to say?"

Elsa sat, facing her sister. "About?"

"Now's not the time to be coy, Elsa. Tell me exactly what's on your mind."

"Okay." Elsa cleared her throat, a small blush creeping up her features. "Having this—phallus—is very embarrassing for me, almost shameful. I feel things that I've never felt before. Things like lust and desire, it…it…" Her voice trailed off as her face turned a bright red.

"Talk to me, Elsa."

"…and I…okay, I can say this…I've wanted you." Elsa blew out a ragged breath, and it felt like a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders. "I'm sorry for being so blunt, Anna. But I couldn't hold it inside any longer, it's been killing me to desire you."

Anna knew how much it was costing Elsa to be so brutally honest, and she appreciated her rectitude. Now it was her turn. "I've wanted you, too. I don't know what it is. But I find you very desirable." She brushed loose hair behind her ear. "I feel as if you need to forgive me."

"Only if you forgive me." Elsa scooted closer to Anna and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She sighed heavily. "Anna?"

"Yes?"

"I need to go into the forest for a few minutes, but I'll be back as soon as I can." Elsa started to rise but a firm hand held her in place.

Anna swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you need, Elsa?"

The Queen blushed, and remembered total honesty. "I'm frustrated right now and need to go—relieve the pressure." She locked gazes with Anna again, and felt the heat pool in her stomach.

Anna could feel it, as well. The musky scent pouring off of Elsa was palatable, and she felt her cheeks burn. "Okay. I'll be right here when you come back." She watched as Elsa walked away, her emotions torn, atavistic, and almost too much to bear.

* * *

The ride back to Arendelle was uneventful except for the position of the sun in the sky. It appeared to move rather quickly towards dusk, and this alarmed the Queen, as they were no longer under the protection of the Valley of the Living Rock, and she feared turning into the creature. Anna tried to give her reassurances, but she too was feeling a bit of anxiety as the night approached. Elsa donned the officer's coat and hat again as the horses drew near to the Royal Stables.

Anna and Elsa passed into the stables and quickly dismounted, and were greeted by the Stable Master, Barthold. The man nodded to Elsa, believing she was a soldier protecting the princess, and then bowed to Anna. "Greetings, Your Highness. I trust your afternoon ride was relaxing."

Elsa and Anna exchanged a quick glance, and then Anna spoke. "Afternoon? How long was I gone, Barthold?"

Barthold scratched at his beard. "Well, dusk is upon us… I would say perhaps four hours, Princess."

Anna was shocked, but she refused to let it show. "Very well, will you see to the care of our horses?"

"Absolutely, Your Highness. I have sent for your carriage; it should be here shortly."

Anna briefly touched the man's shoulder. "Thank you, Barthold." She and Elsa went outside to wait for the carriage.

"Princess Anna?"

Anna turned at the sound of the familiar voice. "Captain Gunnar?"

The Captain strolled up to the Princess. "Is there anything I can help you with, my Princess?" He took her hand and kissed it.

Something deep down inside of Elsa hissed at that moment, and a low, almost indiscernible growl escaped her lips. But she caught herself before anything transpired, and took a step back.

Anna, not seeing the change in Elsa, smiled at the Captain. "No, I can't think of anything at the moment. I'm just waiting for my carriage to take me back to the castle."

"Perhaps you would deign to allow your servant conduct you back to the Castle?" Gunnar turned and finally noticed the small officer standing in back of Anna. "Oh, forgive me, Your Highness, I didn't see your escort."

Anna, in an attempt to draw attention away from Elsa, took Gunnar's hand and held it between her own. She stepped up closer to him. "Yes, as you can see I am otherwise occupied—but, perhaps, tomorrow? Would you care to have lunch with me, Gunnar?"

Gunnar brightened. "It would be my honor, Your Highness." He bent and touched his forehead to her hand. "Until then, my Lady." Just as he was bowing again the carriage arrived.

When a footman opened the door to the carriage, Elsa, feeling jealous, brushed past Anna and entered first. This startled the young footman almost to the point of saying something but he held his tongue. The princess, for her part, pretended not to notice the slight and sat on the opposite side of carriage, away from Elsa.

As soon as they were underway, Anna sat back in the cushions and sighed. "Elsa, you were drawing attention to yourself."

The Queen didn't look up from her seat and stared at her hands. "I don't care, Anna. I don't like the way that man looks at you." She took off her helmet and gingerly touched her growing horns. "What about Kristoff?"

"Didn't I tell you? He's leaving at the end of the week—going off to find himself, or something like that. He was never really happy here, but I was hoping I would be reason enough for him to stay."

Elsa looked up. "Do you love him?"

"Yes, I do, but not enough to beg him to remain here with me. He has a good heart, and I'm a fool, I think. We were like star-crossed lovers in the beginning—always together, pretending we liked the same things. But then he started declining my invitations to the castle, even my harpsichord recitals, and I knew something was bothering him. We never talked about it, though, and then one day, I stopped inviting him." Anna looked out the carriage window. "It doesn't mean that I stopped loving him."

"What about Captain Gunnar?"

Anna tilted her head. "How do you know he's a Captain?"

Elsa indicated her own coat. "The uniform, Anna."

The princess could hear the tightness in her sister's voice. "He's a nice guy, and he's very loyal, I can tell."

Elsa looked away, and decided to veer the conversation. "We have a lot to talk about once we reach the safety of the castle." She paused, then quirked an eyebrow. "Anna, how much time do you think passed when we were in the Valley?"

"I don't know exactly. But it felt like we were gone for at least two days."

Elsa nodded. "I feel the same way, but the stable master said we were gone for only a couple of hours." She frowned. "I don't know why, but it feels like this is important somehow."

"You were saying we have a lot to do. What's the first thing _we_ have to do?"

"Well, the first thing _I_ have to do is inquire of our Ambassadors in the surrounding Kingdoms. Find out who's strengthening their armies, or who is sending out delegations, and to whom and why." Elsa groaned and fell back onto the cushions. "But first, I've got to get rid of this headache."

"To the Royal Physician, then?" Anna asked.

Elsa reached up and gingerly touched her horns. "Unfortunately, yes. Don't worry, I'll figure out a way to hide these."

The carriage reached the Castle without incident, and Anna and Elsa went to their separate rooms.

* * *

Jonvar, the westernmost of the Southern Isles, was the home to a rather large battlement and training camp. The country's elite forces trained on this island, and it navy used its many ports to host mock naval battles. But it had been years since the Westegaard's had called upon the troops here to train for any real conflict, and because of this, its commanders grew complacent.

Prince Ingleif stood at the bow of his family's flagship as it docked at Port Edvardt, and his patience grew thin at the sluggish way his seamen were moving about on the dock below. "I'll tan your hides for this," he scowled.

"What was that?" Fingaard strolled up to his brother and looked down at the port. "Something not to your liking?"

Ingleif glared at the older man. "Father's whole plan is absurd and reckless. Look at these—seaman. Do they look like they are ready for war? They're fat and useless."

"Well, that's the whole point of us being here, isn't it? They'll shape up." Fingaard fiddled with the sword at his side. "I'm not worried other them, but Hans."

Ingleif put his hands on the railing. "Talk about useless."

Fingaard nodded. "Perhaps we can use this opportunity to our advantage?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, father thinks that Hans is more than capable of handling this conflict. I don't know about you, but I think otherwise. Suppose Hans should—err, in a most despicable way."

"You want to see him fail." Ingleif turned around and eyed his older brother. "I'm listening."

"Of course I want to see the little bastard fail. I should have been the one sent to woo Arendelle, not that little pipsqueak. He came back in chains and made all of us look ridiculous… and I am not a man made to look ridiculous!" Fingaard forced himself to calm, then he straightened out his uniform. "We go along with his plan and act like everything is perfect, and at the last minute, crush him."

"How do we do this? He has the elite guard with him now, we'd never get close enough to kill him."

"Who said anything about killing him?" Fingaard reached into his pocket and pulled out his pipe. "There are worse things than death. Trust me."

"What about Princess Anna of Arendelle?" Ingleif frowned at the annoying smoke, and waved it away.

"I hear she is rather fetching, what about her?"

"I think she has a part to play in all of this, and we could use her to our advantage."

Fingaard scratched at one his sideburns. "I'm not seeing it."

Ingleif wasn't deterred. "Do you trust me?"

"I don't trust anyone, brother." Fingaard blew smoke in his younger man's face.

"I know exactly what to do."

* * *

Anna quietly knocked on Elsa's door at dinnertime and waited for her sister's usual reply, but this time, it didn't come. She waited a few moments, then knocked again. "Elsa?" She turned the handle and found it unlocked.

The princess opened the door and saw that Elsa was not in her parlor, even though there was a lit fire in her fireplace, and several candles were already burning, even though it was not quite dark. Anna moved through the parlor to Elsa's bedroom and saw that the Queen's drapes were drawn, and her room was shadowy. But there was a light coming from her walk-in closet.

Anna swallowed hard. "Elsa?"

The Queen walked out of her closet and smiled at her sister. "What do you think?"

Anna gaped. "You look—different."

"Well, that was my plan." Elsa walked over to her curtains and opened them, letting light into her room. She was wearing a military uniform that was tailored to fit her small frame, complete with black boots and a sword at her side. "I couldn't very well wear these boots with a dress so I had my seamstress tailor father's old uniform for me. How do I look?"

"Almost handsome." Anna felt her palms sweat, despite her best efforts to remain neutral.

Elsa looked at herself in her mirror. "I've been doing a lot of thinking, Anna."

Anna frowned. "What kind of thinking?"

"Tomorrow I'm calling our troops to a series of training exercises. I don't want to be caught off guard when the time comes."

Anna nodded. "Okay. Anything else?"

Elsa turned around to face her sister. "Shall we go and have dinner?"

Anna had a bad feeling at that moment. "No, tell me what you are planning."

The Queen walked over to her sister. "You promised to trust me, snowflake." She reached up and caressed Anna's cheek. "Someone has to go and talk to these jötnar, and that person is me."

The princess stood, incredulous. "What?"

Elsa placed her hands on Anna's arms. "Pabbie said these beings will help Arendelle during the war to come if I accepted the prophecy. Well, I accepted, didn't I? I want to hold them to their word."

Anna stood firm. "Okay, so when do we leave?"

"Anna, someone has to look after Arendelle while I'm gone, make sure the war exercises continue, see to the day to day running of the Kingdom." Elsa gathered Anna into her arms. "You must be the one to do it."

"But I don't know anything about war, or trade agreements, or anything of the sort!"

"Anna—"

"No, you promised to help me!" Anna broke away from Elsa's embrace and turned away from her. "How can you help me if you're gone!"

Elsa stiffened. "I have to go, Anna. Arendelle is counting on me and I can't let it down. Our people will suffer if no one comes to our aid."

"But why does it have to be you?"

"Who else would you have me send? No one but us knows what's going to happen in the future, and we surely can't tell anyone else," Elsa implored.

Anna wiped away a few tears. "I can't lose you, Elsa, it would kill me."

"Why do you think something bad is going to happen?" Elsa moved around Anna so she could see her face.

The princess couldn't make eye contact with her sister. "Can you at least wait a few days before you go, so we can at least do all _we can do_ to help Arendelle?"

Elsa stood back. "Okay, Anna. That seems fair enough. I'll leave at the end of the week when Kristoff does. Perhaps I can persuade him to accompany me to the Valley of the Living Rock? I'm sure he would love to see the trolls before he goes." Elsa looked at the setting sun through her windows. "Come on, Anna, let us to dinner. I need to eat before its dark."

Anna took Elsa's hand. "Do you really expect something to happen tonight?"

Elsa linked Anna's arm in her own and led them through her parlor door. "I really don't know, Anna."

* * *

_**I want to thank everyone for your kind reviews, I really do appreciate them.**_


	9. Chapter 9

Elsa sat, naked, on a chair facing the fireplace and waited for the beast. Dinner was long over, and she had said her goodbyes to an unwilling Anna a few hours ago. She took the book that was in her lap and scanned a few pages, but was unable to concentrate because of her anticipation. The book was tossed to a nearby table and the Queen sighed deeply, her frustration growing. After standing up Elsa moved to one of her windows and looked out onto the night. There were a few scattered clouds about, and the moon was shining between them, but there was no evidence of any type of storm. Elsa sighed again and moved back to the overstuffed chair and sat back down. Her intuition was telling her she wouldn't transform tonight, mostly because there was no full moon, and the absence of turbulent activity in the atmosphere.

She sat up in her chair, and concentrated on the wings on her back. They flapped; she could feel her muscles pulling and contracting to make them move. She concentrated enough to make them flap so hard that they slapped at her back, stinging her pale skin. _Amazing…_ After flopping back onto her chair she waited some more.

Elsa remained another hour or so. She was just about to get up when there was a knock on her door.

Elsa frowned. She had given explicit instructions to the staff that she was not to be disturbed. "Who is it?"

There was a moment's hesitation. "It's Anna."

The Queen shut her eyes and then ran her hand over her cheek. "Come in, Anna." Then she remembered she had locked the door. "Just a minute."

"Okay."

Elsa unlocked the door and was reaching for her housecoat when Anna burst into the room. She brushed past Elsa, apparently not seeing her, and moved to the windows to shut the curtains. "Thank goodness I was waiting outside, otherwise—"

The Queen locked her door. "Wait, what? You were waiting outside my door all this time?"

Anna turned to face her sister. "Yeah—oh, umm, Elsa…"

But Elsa had turned her back and walking back to her chair by the fireplace. "What is it, Anna?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Aren't you missing something—like clothes?"

"Oh, sorry." Elsa put on her housecoat and then sat back down. "Better?"

The princess paused. Elsa was never so blasé about nakedness before. Maybe the magic that was causing her to transform was affecting her in other ways, as well. "I'm glad that nothing happened tonight."

"The night is far from over," Elsa declared, then regretted her terse words. "Sorry."

Anna didn't appear to notice, and moved a chair over next to Elsa's. "I had a chance to do a lot of thinking while I was waiting outside your door."

Elsa turned her head towards Anna. "Why were you outside my door? What if something went terribly wrong, and I hurt you?"

"I had a feeling nothing bad was going to happen, Elsa. Besides, you would never hurt me."

Elsa merely nodded, feeling exhausted. "I have been given a reprieve, it seems. Which means we have some time to prepare for the next time it happens."

"What do you want to do?"

"I can have my ice castle readied for me to move into." Elsa stared into the fireplace.

Anna frowned. "You know I don't want you up there all alone."

"I think it ought to be a consideration, though, Anna. Let us call it a contingency plan, okay?" The Queen took her sister's hand. "Tell me what kind of things were you thinking about?"

Anna blushed somewhat. "I was thinking of ways to help with… well, how to put…"

Elsa scrutinized her sister's face, and then smiled. "Remember, Anna, complete honesty."

"Okay." Anna momentarily closed her eyes before speaking. "Elsa, do you need the services of a prostitute?"

"What?" Elsa's eyes went wide and she gasped loudly. "What makes you think I need a prostitute?" Elsa noticed the strange expression on her sister's face. "Oh… oh, I see. Well—good gods, Anna, really?"

Anna turned her chair so that she was facing Elsa. "Don't make me remind you of what happened earlier?"

Elsa stared at Anna and for a brief moment seriously considered the idea. It would surely take care of her physical needs, but the logistics of it, how in the world would they ever manage something of that magnitude? Crestfallen, Elsa groaned and sat back in her chair. "I appreciate the offer, Anna. But I don't think I could… well, what I'm trying to say is… it would never work. I'm the Queen, everybody in Arendelle knows what I look like, and what about this?" She looked down at her crotch and then blushed at the thought. "A prostitute… really."

Anna blushed, as well. "It was just a thought."

"I appreciate your looking out for me, I really do, Anna," Elsa chuckled. "What else were you thinking about?"

"Well, I think you're right about having a plan for the next transformation, but I was thinking in terms of something else." Anna sat back and looked everywhere but at Elsa. "Would you like some tea, Elsa?"

The Queen perked up. "With whiskey." She sat up and looked pointedly at Anna. "What is it you were thinking?"

"What if we had a room in the castle—altered, for the next time it happens."

Elsa was intrigued, and her wings started to flutter. "Modified? How?"

"We have this huge attic in the North Wing that is practically empty. We could have it reinforced with iron bars for the next time you transform. I would lock you in there before the next full moon. I'm sure that the royal architects could design something useful."

"Never mind them, I could design it." Elsa grabbed Anna's hands. "This is a wonderful idea, Anna, thank you so much!" She drew the princess to her and wrapped her in a huge hug. "I never thought I would get a chance to use my royal training, but this is perfect for me." Without thinking, she pulled Anna into her lap.

Anna was surprised, but not shocked, and she had to admit to herself the feeling of her thighs over Elsa's legs was… not unpleasant. She moved her hands to Elsa's back, and immediately felt her wings quiver. Her eyes widened. "Are you doing that?"

"No." Elsa swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "They do that when I'm excited."

Anna nodded, her lips parted slightly. "So, you like my idea?"

"Yes." Elsa's voice was rough, and had an edge to it. She locked gazes with Anna and then moved her hands to Anna's rear, adjusting her position.

The princess closed her eyes, and her hands fisted on Elsa's shoulders. "You make this so difficult, Elsa. Please stop." Her head lolled to the side as a wave of intense pleasure rolled down her spine to settle in her lower abdomen. She stared down at Elsa with half-lidded eyes. "We have to stop."

Elsa had one hand on Anna's hip and the other was painfully gripping the chair's armrest. Her hips jerked when Anna moved on her lap, and she whimpered low in her throat. "Must we?" Her mind was in a daze of delirious pleasure, and her erection demanded attention. She moved her hands to Anna's skirt and attempted to hike it up.

This action broke the spell Anna was under, and she grabbed Elsa's hands. "Please, Elsa. Stop."

Elsa released the princess's skirt and she moved her hands to the chair's armrests. After a few long moments her eyes cleared and her breathing was under control. "You undo me, Anna. You want complete honesty. A prostitute would never do it for me, never—but you, my body craves your touch, can't live without it. I fall apart when not in your presence, and I lust after you alone." She closed her eyes. "Does this make me evil? Does this make me a monster?"

Anna shook her head, partly to answer Elsa and partly to clear it of the libidinous fog she was under. "Then I'm a monster, as well." She leaned her forehead on Elsa's. "I don't know why this is happening, but it won't change that way I feel about you, Elsa—as my sister and best friend. I love you. But I just can't love you, if you know what I mean."

Elsa nodded and closed her eyes. "Okay, Anna, I understand." She was miserable.

Anna smiled down at her sister, sympathizing with her, and feeling her frustration and pain. "Let me go fetch that tea, okay?"

Elsa withdrew her hands. "Thank you, snowflake." She tried not to groan when Anna slipped off her lap. "Hurry back." When Anna was gone Elsa slipped into her bathroom.

* * *

The ninth Duke of Weselton sat in his father's study, indulging in cognac and smoking a pipe. He stared into the fireplace, his cold blue eyes hardening, and his mood souring as the hours passed. He looked at a letter in his hand, from his father, outlining a very intricate financial plan to ruin certain heads of state in the neighboring Kingdoms. He had read the letter three times, and even after that he could not figure out father's reasoning. Why did he want to ruin Arendelle? It was true they were not the best of allies, but the fact remained they had a treaty…

Magnus started at a rather loud knock at the door. "I said I was not to be disturbed!"

A page hesitantly opened the door and a young woman entered, she was immaculately dressed, her auburn hair done up in a tight bun, with the same striking blue eyes as her brother. "What on earth are you doing up here all alone, at this ungodly hour?"

Magnus forced a thin smile. "Aida, dear, don't be a prig." He downed his digestif and poured another. "Why don't you go and pester mother to increase your allowance. That's why you here, isn't it? You never cared for the old bastard even when he was alive."

"Don't you talk ill of the dead," Aida scowled. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

"Damn right I am." Magnus stood, and easily towered over his smaller sibling. He ran his hand through his black hair. "You'll be happy to know that soon we'll be a lot richer, all thanks to father and his brilliant accountants. Here, read this."

Aida grabbed the parchment, her brow furrowing. "What is this?"

"Father's ultimate revenge against Arendelle."

The Countess scanned the document, and then frowned. "This will bankrupt Arendelle?"

Magnus snatched the document from his sister. "War or this, I haven't decided which."

Aida moved to the fire to warm her hands. "I thought we were going to war, isn't that what father wanted?" She sat down in a chair close to her brother's and patted his chair. "Come and sit, Magnus."

The Duke's wobbly legs almost gave out as he sat. "What do you want?"

The Countess smiled and patted down her billowing skirt. She watched her brother for a few moments before speaking and secretly wondered if he was just as pliable as their late father. The old man had been easy to manipulate—a compliment here, and certain fawning there. In other words, he proved to be easily controlled. "Now, I believe father entered into a contract with the Westegaard's, did he not?"

Magnus blinked several times, trying to concentrate through his inebriation. "What of it?"

"Well, look at it this way. What renown is there in simply manipulating their financial markets? What kind of lesson can they learn by that, and, we are not even sure this plan will work. Isn't war a much more honorable endeavor?"

Magnus frowned. "People lose their lives in war, sister. This plan will see that only Arendelle suffers, and not Weselton. You would so easily give up innocent lives, and for what? What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Magnus lit his pipe again.

_Revenge_. Aida merely smiled. "You would do what, bankrupt their banks? Father wanted to impoverish Arendelle's people and humiliate its Queen. You are a coward if you think otherwise."

"Coward?" Magnus threw his pipe down on a table. "I'll show you cowardice…" The duke went to his study's door and slammed it open. "Guards!"

Two guards came running to the door, musket's ready. The taller of them spoke first. "Your Grace, are you injured?"

Magnus glowered. "No, obviously not. I want you to send word to General Voljor, I want to see him now. Wake him up if you have to." When the guards were gone Magnus slumped against the doorframe and glared at his sister. "Are you happy now?"

"I'll be happy to see you at the head of Weselton's army."

"Go to Hell."

* * *

"How are the plans coming along, Elsa?" Anna practically skipped into her sister's study, and knocked over a few books in the process. She looked apologetically at her older sister. "Sorry."

Elsa motioned for Anna to come closer to her desk. "We, this is what I've designed so far. Here, take a look." She scooted over so Anna could see her schematics.

Anna peered over Elsa's shoulder and saw a perfect representation of the attic, except her drawings showed long iron bars bolted from the ceiling to floor in a cross-lattice pattern. Smaller iron bars would be latched to the crisscross pattern at the windows to prevent escape. Anna was impressed. "This design only took you two days?"

"More or less," Elsa said, feeling accomplished in her work. She sat back in her chair and rolled her head from side to side. "I feel a little sore from sitting her so long." She glanced up conspiratorially at her sister. "Do you feel a walk, perhaps, or a dip

in the hot baths?"

"How about a walk to the western lighthouse?" Anna offered. "I could use a little exercise."

"You don't want to relax in the baths?" Elsa was surprised by Anna's lack of enthusiasm.

Anna gracefully slid into the chair next to Elsa's desk. "Do you really think we should be naked in the same bath?"

Elsa looked disconsolate. "No, now that you're saying it, I guess not."

Anna reached over and took Elsa's hand. "Don't be so disappointed, Elsa. It is nothing against you. I'm just not feeling in the mood for water right now. Please trust me."

"Alright, let me get my boots on." Elsa reached under her desk and took hold of her boots. She scooted her chair back to make it easier to put the footwear on.

Anna took the opportunity to observe her sister and her mannerisms. There was just something about her that was so graceful, no matter what she did, even sliding on boots that were too big for her small feet. _Feet_… Anna glanced at Elsa's foot before she put in the boot. The coloring was the same; the same bluish color she had seen in the cave, but the scales seemed more pronounced, and completely hid her smaller toes.

The princess reached over to touch the foot. "Do these hurt?" She ran her hand over the scales and found them to be soft and warm.

Elsa didn't answer for a few moments, as she was savoring the sweet contact. "No, I really can't 'feel' them, per se. But this foot looks different than my other one. There are more scales, and the bluish color is spread over more of my lower leg." She reached down and covered Anna's hand with her own. "That feels good."

Anna took Elsa's foot and laid it on her lap, and then she began to massage it. "How can you walk with your feet like this?"

The Queen stared, mesmerized by Anna's actions. "Umm, like I said, they may look different but so far my ability to walk hasn't been impeded."

The princess moved her fingers in a circular motion, and pressed harder. "Try to relax, Elsa."

The Queen nodded, but the sensation of Anna's soft fingers on her skin was almost too much to bear. "Anna, I think you need to stop," she whimpered.

Anna looked up immediately and saw the distressed look on Elsa's face. "I'm sorry, Elsa, I was only trying to help." She lowered her foot to the floor. "Do you still feel like going for a walk?"

Elsa sat up and finished putting her remaining boot on. "Yes, going outside might be good for me."

They exited Elsa's chambers and walked to the grand spiral staircase, it led them to the third floor of the castle. There was an exit on this floor that led outside to the ramparts that circled the castle perimeter. Various guards patrolled up in the bulwarks, and they saluted the Queen and Princess as they passed them. When they passed through the last guard tower Anna discreetly took Elsa's hand in her own.

The sun was high in the sky and the sea breeze felt good as they emerged into the sun.

Elsa turned up her face into the warm rays. "This was a good idea, Anna." She inhaled deeply and let out a deep breath. "Thank you."

They walked along the cobble stone ramp and enjoyed each other's company. Elsa lifted her hand and an ice seagull materialized and flew about Anna's head. The princess laughed and tried to catch the creature, but Elsa was faster, and continued to keep her creation out of Anna's grasp until the sun melted it away. When it was gone Anna turned back to her sister and took her hand again.

"I'm glad you are in a lighter mood today, Elsa."

"Me, too."

After about a hundred yards they reached the bottom to the tall stone lighthouse. Elsa opened the large wooden door and led the way up the stone steps to the top. She and Anna emerged to gaze upon the sun as it began to fall low on the western horizon. There was another lighthouse tower on the southern side of the bay, and two tall ships were passing through the towers, bringing goods to Arendelle.

Anna leaned on the railing and looked out to the peaceful land and sea. "It seems so difficult to believe that this Fimbulvetr is upon us, when it's such a beautiful day." She sighed. "Thinking about it makes me so sad."

Elsa stood behind the princess. "Then let us not think about it for now and enjoy what days are left to us." Elsa moved closer to Anna. "We didn't come out here to brood, did we?"

Anna looked over her shoulder. "No, we didn't." She rested her elbows on the railing. "Are you afraid at all, Elsa?"

The Queen frowned slightly. "I would be a fool not to be." She looked down to the water below. "A part of me is, I guess—not knowing what the details look like, even though I have a vague sense of what is going to happen." A seagull flew past them, shrieking as it went by.

Anna jumped at the sound, and her bottom made contact with Elsa's hips. "Sorry, I didn't mean to—"

But Elsa reacted to the contact as if struck, she lurched backwards and hit her new wings on the side of the lighthouse. The pain forced her body forwards and she landed on Anna's back. The two fell onto the stone walkway. The Queen managed to turn her body at the last second so that she absorbed the impact of the fall, and not Anna. But her wings hit the stone with a crunch, and she screamed in pain.

The wail was loud enough to be heard by a few soldiers patrolling the rampart, and Anna heard them running up the stone steps to the top of the lighthouse.

Anna scrambled off of Elsa and the Queen rolled onto her stomach, groaning. "Don't let me come up, Anna…please…."

The princess crawled to the door that led into the lighthouse and saw two guards near the top. "No, wait!"

The men halted and one of them stepped forward. "We heard a scream, Your Highness, is everything alright?"

"Yes, we are fine. I…saw a spider, dreadful creatures—and you know how deathly afraid of them I am!"

The guards looked to each other then smiled. The tallest one decided to speak. "Do you want me to come up and kill it?"

"No, no, that won't be necessary. The Queen has—taken care of it." Anna dismissed the two men and then went back to check on Elsa.

Elsa was still on her stomach, and was panting. "I think something broke."

Anna gasped. "Take off your shirt, let me see."

The Queen grimaced and moved to sitting position. After a few unsuccessful tries she managed to remove her shirt and turn for Anna. The princess noticed that the leathery wings were becoming a darker color than the tan brown they once were. She examined them, running her fingers over them until she felt a place where the bone appeared to be separated.

When she touched the spot Elsa flinched and hissed, and then moved away from her. "What is it, Anna?

"The thin bone that runs along the top of this wing snapped when you fell on it—it's broken, Elsa.

The Queen hissed again when she tried to turn around and face her sister. "My god, what am I supposed to do? I can't go to my physician, can I?" Elsa tried to move the wing but recoiled in pain after trying.

"Oh, Elsa." Anna tried to embrace her sister but Elsa pushed her away. The rejection surprised her. "What?"

"This is all your fault, Anna! If you didn't move that butt of yours against me I would not have fallen." Elsa turned away from her sister, incensed and aggravated.

"What? My fault? Oh, Elsa you are going to drive me crazy, do you know that? I'm not the one with sex incessantly on my mind."

Elsa was startled into silence and just stared at Anna for a few extremely long moments. "Excuse me, Anna, I have to go." She tried to pull the shirt back on, but it got stuck on the broken wing, and she cried out again.

Anna moved so that she was facing her sister. "What, Elsa? What did I do?" When she moved to help the Queen with the shirt Elsa let her.

After about a minute, Elsa finally looked up. "Do you really think that's all this is about?" She waved her hand to indicate herself. "Sexual gratification? That I would suffer all that I am, and will do, for… for…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked at Anna despondently before getting up and leaving the lighthouse.

* * *

Anna looked for Elsa at dinnertime but the Queen did not show up in the dining hall so Anna ate alone. After dinner she ventured to Elsa's study and her bedroom but her sister was not in either location. Anna walked dejectedly, after knocking on her sister's door for at least a half hour, through the darkened hallway and made her way to her own bedroom. She locked the door after entering and noticed that someone had made a fire in her fireplace, and had lit all of her candles. That's when she noticed Elsa sitting at her vanity, staring at herself in the mirror.

But her smile faltered when she saw the look of abject misery on Elsa's face. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

The Queen continued to stare at her reflection. "I know you are." She turned around to face her sister. "I'm sorry, too." The Queen stood and went over to the fireplace to warm her hands. "But you need to fully understand what is happening, Anna. I'm going through this—transformation—not for myself, and not just for you, but also for the continuation of the world. So that everything we know doesn't fade away into nothing. This Fimbulvetr to come scares me beyond measure, and if I could complete my destiny in some other way I gladly would. But I was born to do this, just as assuredly as I was born with my powers. It all makes sense to me now. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Anna stood motionless, rooted to the spot, and the tears fell freely. "Oh, god, _I am_ so sorry—for being a single-minded, silly fool."

Elsa opened up her arms. "Come here you silly fool."

Anna ran to Elsa's arms, and let her sister enfold her into her warm embrace, and her tears didn't stop as she peppered Elsa's face with consoling kisses. One of those kisses landed on the Queen's lips and lingered. Anna closed her eyes.

Elsa stopped breathing when Anna's lips found hers, and she used all of her willpower not to groan at the contact. Anna's lips were warm and soft, and pressed ever so delicately against her own, sending sweet shivers down her spine, warming her more than the fire ever could. They stayed that way for an eternity, each enjoying the feel of the other's lips. Elsa's arms found their way around Anna's waist, and she slowly started backing her up towards the bed. That's when Anna finally let it go, and tugged at Elsa's shirt until it was free of her pants. When she felt the back of her knees hit the bed she fell without hesitation, and she clung onto Elsa so that she would fall with her.

Breasts fell against breasts, and thighs intertwined. Elsa marveled at Anna's soft curves and Anna stroked at Elsa, loving the feel of her hardened flesh.

Elsa finally did moan, and she gasped when Anna tugged at her pants. Elsa frantically lifted on her hands, giving Anna the space she needed to undo the clasp; and when it was unhooked she desperately tried to pull them off while as the same time hike up Anna's skirt.

Both were startled by the sudden knock on Anna's door.

* * *

_**Thank you, again, for all the reviews and support for my story. I appreciate it, really.**_


	10. Chapter 10

Elsa scrambled off of Anna so quick that she nearly knocked younger woman off the bed. They looked at each other when a second knocked sounded.

Elsa quickly buttoned up her pants as she hopped off the bed. "Anna, I'll be in your bathroom."

The princess waved Elsa away as she stood up and straightened out her skirt. She then looked at herself in her mirror before calmly walking to her door. "Who is it?"

"It is Kai, Your Highness."

Smiling, Anna opened her door. "Good evening, Kai. Can I help you with something?"

The Master of the Castle cleared his throat. "We were wondering if you knew the whereabouts of Her Majesty, Princess? There is a courier at the outer gates who demands to speak to Queen Elsa. He says it's urgent."

Anna hesitated for a moment, and wondered if Elsa was listening from the bathroom. "I… I mean I haven't—"

"Kai, did the courier give his name?" Elsa walked out of the bathroom, her clothing perfect, and her demeanor the same.

"No, Your Majesty, but he is quite insistent."

"Very well, have him escorted to my private conference chamber near the Throne Room. I'll be there shortly. Oh, Kai?"

Yes, Madame?" The older man straightened out his lapels.

"Make sure there is plenty of brandy available." Elsa smiled as Kai bowed and exited the room. After the portly man left she turned to Anna. "I think I know who it is. Anna?"

The princess had turned from Elsa, and was staring at her bed. "You go on and see who it is… I'll be fine." She walked to her bed and sat down.

Elsa, worried, rushed to the princess and knelt before her. "What? I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise."

"No, Elsa, you need to take of business, I know this." Anna reached forward and brushed Elsa's hair behind her ear. "Elsa, we almost got caught."

The Queen cringed. "No, we didn't, not really. The door was locked, wasn't it?"

Anna frowned. "But what if it wasn't? What if it was one of my Ladies in Waiting? They hardly ever knock and just barge right on in." There was a certain grim determination in her voice. "Maybe what we were doing…"

Elsa held up her hands. "Anna, please, can this wait? I've got to go. But I promise you I'll be back as soon as I can." She planted a quick kiss on Anna's lips and was gone.

* * *

Elsa stopped by her chambers on the way to her conference room to pick up her officer's coat and then went immediately to the first floor of her castle. When she arrived at her consultation room two guards were having an animated conversation with a man who was sitting on the Queen's chair. She smiled at the sight; and when her guards saw her they stopped talking and saluted.

The man, brandy in hand, burped rather loudly, and then sheepishly looked at the Queen while rising from her chair. "Sorry, Your Worship."

"Guards, you may leave us." Elsa rolled her eyes when they were gone. "I'm not the bishop, so let's have no more of that nonsense." She walked over to the taller man and briefly hugged him. "What do I call you tonight, my friend? Zander? Or Valgard? Or have you chosen another name?"

"Zander will do just fine, my Queen."

Elsa sat at her chair and poured herself some brandy. "So, I take it you received my letter."

Zander nodded and sat to Elsa's right. "Yes, and I came here with all haste, Your Majesty."

"What have you discovered so far?"

Zander put a satchel on long conference table and pulled out a few documents. "I don't suppose the ambassador to Weselton has told you the news? The old duke is dead, and that imbecile Magnus has taken over the duchy."

The Queen sat back, and sipped her brandy. "Magnus is hardly a fool. I met him, not quite three months ago, at a state dinner."

"He's no fool, my Queen, but he lacks his father's—grace, so to speak. He'll go after Arendelle, I'm certain of it. He's already got Wolfgang in his pocket—taken care of his gambling debts, among other things." He gave the documents to Elsa.

"So our ambassador to Weselton will betray us." Elsa pondered this information. "Already has, I see." _So, the chess pieces fall into place._ "What do you suggest we do with him?"

"Keep him in Weselton. See how far he's willing to go without drawing attention to himself publically." Zander sat back in his chair. "My guess is he will send you letters saying everything is fine and not to worry, and while he's placating you Weselton prepares for war. I would start training the troops as soon as you can."

The Queen nodded. "Already done, they begin exercises tomorrow. What else do you have for me?"

"Weselton and the Southern Isles have suddenly become the best of friends."

"Have they now?" Elsa examined the documents before her. "And I suppose this is the proof?"

Zander nodded and downed his entire glass of brandy. "Courtesy of the Westegaard's themselves. This is their copy of their latest treaty with Weselton. They promise to match Weselton's forces man for man. In other words, both of them are preparing for war against Arendelle."

Elsa leaned back in her chair, and blew out a deep breath. "I suspected Weselton, but the Southern Isles, as well? This is—a lot to digest at once."

"If I may indulge upon your palate once again. These fools actually sent a delegation to Corona, of all places!"

"Oh, how did Corona respond?"

The bearded man frowned somewhat. "The only thing I know is the delegation is still there, so they haven't been kicked out, and that's not a good sign."

"Or Corona is keeping them there for a good reason, to find out as much as they can and then report to us." Elsa reasoned.

"That's entirely possible, my Queen. My suggestion would be to not contact Corona right now; doing so might tip off Weselton that we know they are there. Let me go back to the Southern Isles and do some more—fishing."

The Queen placed her glass on the table. "How do you know all this, Zander?"

Zander merely smiled. "You forget, I have no scruples, and bed whomever I want—or bribe them."

Elsa blushed slightly, and then reached over to lightly grasp the man's hand. "Your service to Arendelle is invaluable, my friend."

Zander sighed, and blinked. "I have been, and always will be, your servant."

Neither one noticed that Anna was watching them, discreetly hidden in the shadows of the doorway.

* * *

Elsa remained in her private conference room long after Zander had retired for the evening, having graciously accepted the Queen's offer of a room for the night. She sat at the large fireplace and contemplated all that she knew. It seemed like the Fimbulvetr was proceeding exactly like the old troll predicted, and great war was upon her. She figured that Weselton and the Westegaards would need time to prepare for such an undertaking, and she would use this valuable time to do exactly the same. But one of the things that troubled her was Zander's advice not to contact Corona. If there ever was a time when she needed them it was now. Would they come to Arendelle's aid, when the appointed time was at hand?

For the first time since talking with Pabbie, Elsa understood exactly what the future held for her. _The pawns fill their muskets; the knights sharpen their blades…_

The Queen groaned, and the weight of the world pressed upon her shoulders at that moment. She was Arendelle's chief general at a time of war, but if she was supposed to be Jörmungandr, how was she going to lead her army? Elsa cursed herself for her idleness. _It's been a year since that eternal winter, and I do not know my generals and admirals…_

…_Anna…_ She looked up then and felt an overwhelming need feel the comfort of her sister's arms around her.

* * *

Elsa knocked on Anna's door and expected the princes to answer immediately. But it didn't happen so she knocked again, and still, nothing. Frowning, Elsa tried the knob and found the door to be unlocked, so she quietly went in, and the first thing she noticed was the empty room. The candles had been blown out and the only light came from the dying embers in the fireplace. Disappointed, Elsa left the room and slowly walked the long hall to her own chambers.

The Queen sighed and entered into her outer parlor and threw the officer's coat on a nearby chair. But before she could do anything else she heard a noise in her bedroom. Elsa froze and listened carefully; she heard the faint sound of her bed creaking so she peered inside.

"Anna?"

"Lock the door."

Elsa did as Anna instructed, and leaned against the door once it was secure. "I thought we'd be in your room."

Anna sat up in the bed and the blankets fell down to her waist; she was naked. "I saw you and Zander in your private room."

Elsa's eyes widened. "What?"

"Why did you touch him?" Anna couldn't keep the jealousy out of her voice, or the contempt.

The Queen was flabbergasted. "Anna, what is it do think you saw?"

The princess lowered her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "Answer my question, Elsa."

The Queen quietly walked over to her bed. "Anna, for one thing, I trust that man with my life, he is Arendelle's best infiltrator—and secondly, I would appreciate it if you didn't speak to me in that kind of voice."

Anna was silent for so long Elsa thought she was choosing to ignore her. "If that's how you feel, then fine, I'm leaving!" But she made no move to get up.

Elsa stared at her, a small smile on her face, then she sat down on the bed next to Anna. "There is no need to be jealous of that man." She reached over and gently caressed the princess's cheek. "No need." Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes dropped to Anna's breasts.

But Anna was still aggravated, and her eyes showed it. "Will you hold me, Elsa?"

"Hold you?" Elsa fought with herself, and for the moment, quelled her desire. She reached down and removed her boots before scooting back onto her bed. "Come here, snowflake." She enfolded the younger woman in her arms, and let out a giant sigh when Anna's breathing deepened, and the princess fell asleep.

Elsa awoke before dawn, as was her usual habit, and noticed she was on her back, under the covers, and Anna's naked body was draped over her own. She also observed her own body's reaction to the princess's current state of undress. Elsa groaned low in her throat, and tried to move away from Anna. But Anna whined and adjusted her leg so it fell between her own.

The Queen threw an arm over her eyes and silently cursed whatever gods were laughing at her at the moment. After carefully turning her body over on her side, she was just about to turn Anna away from her when the princess's eyes snapped open.

They stared at one another until Elsa could not endure it for one more second, and her longing at its peak. She pushed Anna on her back and crawled on top of her, not caring that the princess could easily feel her arousal.

Anna closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around the Queen's back. Her breath quickened when she felt Elsa's hands all over her, caressing and teasing. "Clothes… too many clothes…"

Elsa lifted her head. "Help me." She lifted and started to unbutton her shirt, but was impaired by her desire, so she pulled the shirt over her head, and growled when it roughly ran over her broken wing.

Anna's squirmed as Elsa blindly fell onto her again. "Slow…please…" Her hand fisted and fell to the bed, and she squeezed her eyes shut as Elsa whimpered into her ear, her movements erratic, and her inexperience evident. "Elsa… please listen…"

Elsa panted and stopped moving. "Am I… are you hurt?"

Anna opened her eyes and forced Elsa to look at her. "I'm not hurt…look at me…I'm not going anywhere… please slow down."

The Queen slowed, and her hands gently ran over Anna's arms, softly caressing them. "Better?"

Anna breathed in deeply. "I'm… I've never…"

Elsa's breath hitched. "I know." She nuzzled Anna's neck, and mildly planted kisses all along her jaw as her hands soothed over her skin. Elsa lifted herself and moved to Anna's breasts. Her lips ghosted over the princess's left breast, and her tongue lightly licked the exposed areola, causing the flesh beneath her to harden.

"Elsa…" Anna moaned. She spread her legs farther apart as the Queen continued to nip at her breasts. "Yes…"

Elsa growled, and the beast, aroused beyond measure, hungered to come to the surface and take over. But she was able, once more, to tether the creature, and her hands grasped at Anna's hips. "I need…"

"Yes…"

The Queen reached between their bodies, her pleasure at its height, and unclasped her pants. She felt Anna tense beneath her so she slowed again, lifting on her elbows. "Anna… I'm going to remove my pants now. Is this okay with you?"

The princess clutched at the sheets beneath her. "Yes… oh, gods…"

Elsa slowly got up, her eyes never leaving Anna's, and sat back on the bed. With a reassuring smile she removed her last bit of clothing. Without breaking eye contact, she crawled between Anna's legs and lowered her body until their breasts touched.

Anna gasped. "Elsa… I'm scared…"

Elsa raised her hands and traced Anna's face with the tips of her fingers. "Shh… relax, snowflake, please…" She moved her hips to align them with Anna's. "Spread…yes…like that…"

Anna spread her legs wider, and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt Elsa at her entrance and gasped again, her body jerking upwards. "…oh, god…"

Elsa used Anna's momentum to slip inside just a little, and it was enough to make her groan. Fine tendrils of pleasure coursed through her body and pooled in her lower abdomen. She buried her face in the crook of Anna's neck just as the princess wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her down.

Anna sobbed, and then gritted her teeth. "Elsa."

Elsa thrust her hips just once, and found she could only go in so far, and realized she hit a—barrier, it was warm and wet, and she pumped a little harder, but still could not penetrate.

Anna gasped and clawed at Elsa's back. "Oh, my god, Elsa…it hurts."

Elsa stopped moving, letting Anna get used to her. "Anna, god, please relax…just for me…please." She thrust again, and was inside a little more. "That's it, Anna…I'm going to push—" Grasping the sheet below her, she shoved as hard as she could, and immediately felt something pop.

Anna screamed, her legs reflexively clasped Elsa's hips in a vice-like grip. "Please, Elsa…the pain is too much."

Elsa stopped moving again, and gently kissed along Anna's jawline. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry." But her hardened flesh began to throb with the effort of holding back. "Please, Anna, please…"

Anna took in several deep breaths in an effort to relax, and she released Elsa's hips. "Just, be gentle, please."

"Anna, oh, Anna…" Elsa pushed in and then withdrew, only to repeat again and again.

Anna reached up, her fingers sliding through Elsa's platinum locks, and cradled her head. "Gods…I need….move…" She wrapped her legs around Elsa's hips and held on tightly.

The Queen did, just a little, pulling out only inches, then reburying her flesh inside. Their hips came together, again and again, the delicious friction enveloping both within an incredible warmth. After many moments of this sweet torture, Elsa needed something more, yet she could not articulate it. Both were novices in art of love, as their desperate fumbling illustrated.

After many long minutes of grasping and grunting, Elsa felt a pull in her stomach, a tightening of the muscles below her waist, and she shivered. The tightness increased and she pumped faster, causing Anna moan loudly into her ear. "Anna… something's happening…"

Anna gasped, and panted as Elsa thrust faster. "…what?...oh, god, Elsa…"

"_Anna!_" Elsa shook and cried out, consumed in her release, and pumped out her essence into the princess below her.

Anna's eyes widened at the sensation of being filled, and she let go, falling into a blissful state of satiation and sensual gratification. They panted together as Elsa's thrusts slowly decreased, until she stopped altogether. The Queen rested her head just below Anna's chin, her breathing ragged, and on the verge of tears.

Anna sensed this, and wrapped her arms securely around Elsa. "Go on… cry if you need to."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and thrust one last time, her seed filling Anna completely. She timidly tried to get up, but Anna held her firm against her. Then her tears flowed freely, and she didn't stop for a long while.

* * *

Deep in the Valley of the Living Rock, Grand Pabbie's eyes snapped open, as if just waking from a dream, and he knew. His apprentice looked to him, puzzled by old troll's sudden alertness, but Pabbie waved him away, as some things needed to remain hidden.

* * *

After awhile, Elsa lifted her head and gazed down at Anna, who had her eyes closed. "Look at me, snowflake."

Anna opened her eyes and sighed deeply. "Hi."

"Hi." Elsa blushed a deep red. "I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting that to happen."

Anna gently caressed the Queen's cheeks. "What?"

"I've made a mess, I think." Elsa rolled onto her back, but her wing still stung, so she rolled to her side.

Anna turned her body so she was facing Elsa. But as she gazed upon her a sudden shyness crept over her, and she blushed. "I don't know what to say."

Elsa took hold of her hand. She kissed Anna's fingers, one by one, and smiled when Anna closed her eyes. "Do you want to sleep some more?"

Anna snuggled next to her, and rested her forehead on Elsa's shoulder. "Yes…"

They fell into peaceful slumber, not having a care in the world, at that one perfect moment. But perfection doesn't last forever.

* * *

Elsa confidently strode into the dining hall at her usual time and sat down. A page immediately stepped forward to place the morning's correspondence next to the Queen's plate. As Elsa was scanning her letters, General Urban entered and sat down at his usual place.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Urban was young for a general, and had long black hair that he kept tied back in a ponytail. But his gray eyes had a wisdom in them that spoke of one years older.

Elsa glanced up. "Good morning, General." She put down the letters and rang a small bell. She glanced at the young man. "Do you mind if I call you by your given name, General?"

"No, I do not mind at all, Your Majesty."

Servants immediately came into the room bringing in the morning meal. Several hot and cold dishes were placed on the table, including scrambled eggs, sausages, fruits, breads, and an assortment of cheeses.

Elsa usually ate sparingly, but her appetite this morning was voracious. She piled her plate high with food. "Tell me, Urban, how are the plans for the troop exercises?"

"The actual plans, Your Majesty, are easy. But I'm a little unsure as to why we are doing these maneuvers." Urban poured himself some coffee.

Elsa realized she needed to confide the truth to this man. "I have reason to believe Weselton is preparing for war." She saw the look of disbelief on the man's face. "I'm sorry I'm just telling you this now. But I have credible proof from one our spies in the region."

Urban put down his cup, his face ashen. "Are you sure, Your Majesty?"

Elsa nodded and put down her fork. "Very sure, Urban."

"Then these aren't simple exercises, I need to call out our marines and the Navy." Urban stood. "If you will excuse me, Your Majesty."

Elsa put up her hand. "It can wait for a few minutes longer. Please relax and have some breakfast."

Just as General Urban was sitting down Zander wandered into the room and plopped down on a chair opposite the Queen. "Good morning, everyone."

The Queen looked at him disapprovingly. "Is that how one addresses the Queen, Mr. Zander?"

The lout sat up, and nodded his head apologetically. "Excuse me for my rudeness—good morning, Your Majesty."

The doors to the dining hall swung open again and Anna entered, very cheerful and looking well rested. "Hello, everyone!"

For a brief moment, Elsa's eyes widened, but she recovered quickly. "Good morning, Princess Anna."

Anna sat opposite General Urban and smiled at the man. "Have we met before?" She began to serve herself breakfast.

The general cleared his throat. "No, I believe we have yet to be formally introduced, Your Highness." Urban stood and grasped Anna's hand, and kissed it. "I pleasure to meet you."

Anna blushed. "The pleasure is all mine." She found herself staring into the General's gray eyes. "Umm…shall we dine?"

Elsa found herself staring at the two, and her jealousy flared to the surface for a second before she clamped it back down. But Zander noticed her strange behavior, and filed the information away for a later time and place.

* * *

Elsa stood at the entrance to the north attic with the Royal Architect, Steingard, and showed the man her designs. Steingard looked from the plans to the actual space of the attic and scratched at his beard. He handed the schematics back to the Queen and then took out his pipe.

"Well, Your Majesty, this is an impressive design, I will admit." The man was a perfectionist, and admired that in other people. He lit his pipe. "You actually want to reinforce the walls like this?"

Elsa rolled up her plans. "Yes, after that last major storm I fear this is the weakest part of the castle. I want to make sure it doesn't buckle in the future."

Steingard nodded. "Okay, I see your point, Your Majesty. First thing is to have the foundry start smelting the needed iron, then we can begin. Shouldn't take more than a couple of months."

"I see." Elsa handed the documents to the architect. "I was hoping this project could be finished by month's end."

Steingard puffed out his smoke away from the Queen. "Depends on the foundry, Your Majesty. You know how uncooperative the Guilds can be."

Elsa wasn't deterred. "See that it happens, Steingard. I have the upmost confidence in you."

The man bowed. "Your Majesty."

* * *

"Anna…oh, Anna…_Anna!_" Elsa hid her face in the princess's neck and thrust one last time, burying herself deeper into her.

Anna, back against the wall, hands clutching around Elsa's shoulders, moaned and let her head loll to the side. "Elsa, my god…you are insatiable."

Elsa pressed Anna harder against the wall. Panting, she turned her head and gently kissed Anna on the cheek. Her arms were under Anna's knees, holding her still. "You are so beautiful, Anna…my…my…" She shuddered again.

They stayed that way for several minutes, locked in passion's embrace.

The princess finally opened her eyes. "Where did that come from, Elsa?"

"I'm going to…miss you when I'm gone." She grunted and let Anna lower her legs to the floor. She took a small step back and helped to straighten the princess's skirt.

Anna reached down and pulled up Elsa's trousers. Her lips ghosted over Elsa's as she clasped them for her. "Tell me again why I can't come with you."

Elsa rested her forehead on Anna's, and tucked in her shirt. "You know why, Anna. I go to confront the jötunn, and secure their alliance with Jörmungandr."

Anna buttoned up her blouse. "When do you leave?"

"Anna, we leave tomorrow."

The princess could not help but to be jealous. "Kristoff is going?"

The Queen sighed. "We've been through this numerous times, Anna. Yes, Kristoff wants to see the trolls one last time before he sails to America." She put on her officer's coat. "I will admit, I think I'm going to miss that mountain man."

Anna's mind was whirling. "Me, too…and I haven't really said a proper good-bye to him."

Elsa missed the hidden meaning in Anna's words, and simply caressed her cheek. "Why don't you try to find him." She turned to her desk and sat down. "He's been good to you, remember."

Anna did remember, and she hoped that Elsa would some day forgive her.

* * *

**_I'm not sure if I got their first time together perfect. But I wanted it to be sloppy and painful considering neither of them have any experience at this whatsoever. Anyway, let me know what you think, please review._**


	11. Chapter 11

"I'm sorry, Kristoff."

The mountain man sighed, and tossed more seeds into the stall where Sven was stabled. "This guy has been with me forever; I'll miss him."

Anna tucked her hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you have to go?"

Kristoff walked over to a small wood burning stove and poured a cup of coffee. "I don't _have_ to leave, Anna, I want to. There is nothing for me here in Arendelle—not even you, and I'm not sure how that happened."

Anna felt her heart break. "No one's fault really. We just grew apart, as I see it."

"But, Anna, that's not how I see it. I still love you, and really want to be with you. But, you're distant—you've pushed me away. Why?" Kristoff sipped his coffee.

"I didn't push, Kristoff. Is that what it felt like? I wasn't driving you away; that's not it at all. It started with my recitals, remember—you stopped coming to them. "

Kristoff put down his cup and grabbed his bag of carrots. "I don't remember it that way." He took a few carrots out of the bag and threw them into Sven's stall, and then he munched on his own. "Look, Anna. I really don't want to fight with you my last night here."

The princess stepped closer. "Neither do I." She closed the distance until she was up against his chest. "I am sorry for the way things ended between us, Kristoff. You truly are a wonderful man."

Kristoff nodded. "You really think so?" He tentatively reached out and cupped her cheek.

Anna closed her eyes. "Yeah, I do."

But Kristoff hesitated, even though he knew what Anna was offering. As much as he wanted this moment, he knew Anna enough to know she would regret it come morning. He merely reached out and kissed her on the forehead.

At first confused, Anna opened her eyes and saw the look in his, and she threw her arms around his neck, and held him closely as she cried. Kristoff hugged her in return, and they shared a tender embrace. After awhile Anna stepped back and wiped at her tear with the back of her sleeve.

The mountain man smiled. "I've never known you to have a handkerchief when you need one." He reached into his pocket and took his out, and then he dried her eyes. "Are you hungry, Anna?"

"You do know me, don't you?"

"Want to come with me to town and get some dinner?" He threw his remaining carrot to Sven.

Anna thought about it, and remembered the carriage was waiting for her outside the Royal Stables. Also, she wasn't sure if Elsa was expecting her at dinner. But it was Kristoff's last night in Arendelle, and she wanted to be with him, at least for a little while. So she went outside and sent the carriage away.

* * *

King Edvardt retreated to his private parlor after the family dinner and poured himself a rather large portion of brandy. The cordial felt good as it slid down his throat; t loosened his aching limbs and soothed his troubled mind. For the first time since his meeting with Hans a week prior the old man was having doubts about Weselton's plan, and now the man was dead—leaving his alcoholic son as duke. Edvardt sat in his chair and rolled his glass between his palms, re-thinking his entire plan. There was a knock at his door.

"Come."

Prince Ingleif entered and immediately went to the brandy. "You wanted to see me, father?"

Edvardt didn't look up, and cursed Ingleif's weakness. "You're a drunk, just like cousin Magnus."

Ingleif stood at his father's side, and his hand tightened around the glass. "I'm nothing like Magnus—the spoiled brat."

"The brat is now Duke, did you know this? No, I don't suppose you do." The old man downed his drink. "How could you, with all that time at Hereford House. Pour me another."

Ingleif dutifully took his father's glass and filled it to the brim with brandy. "What is it? Are you having me followed now?"

Edvardt snorted. "As if I'd be stupid not to. You're weak, and you whore around like some vassal's son." The old man stood. "You are the son of a King! Start acting like one."

The younger man slammed his glass down on a table. "And how do I not? You have a mistress, don't you?"

"Hereford House is nothing but a glorified brothel! None of your brothers would be caught dead in a place like that—not even Hans!"

Ingleif bristled at the mention of his brother's name. "No, I don't suppose Hans would be with a woman now, would he?" The slap wasn't painful, but it hit Ingleif where it would hurt him the most, his ego. He reached up to touch his cheek. "Don't you ever touch me again." He spun on his heal and stormed out of the parlor, almost running into Hans on the way out.

"Whoa! Hey, Ingleif what is the mat—"

"Leave him alone, boy." Edvardt drank some of his brandy. "He's a bit testy tonight."

Hans smiled at his father and poured himself some cognac. "Our fair cousin is now Duke. Will he keep to his father's promises?"

Edvardt warmed up at his youngest. "You're going to make this family so proud, Hans, do you know that?"

"Trust me, father, its my only ambition." Hans sat down before the fireplace. "Fingaard writes that the training on Jonvar is going well; I sail there tomorrow to see for myself."

"Good. I like a leader with a 'hands on' approach to war." Edvardt stared at his youngest. "You're not like Ingleif, are you? You don't whore around with the ladies, do you?"

Hans smirked, and let out an amused breath. "No, I'm not like Ingleif, father. There are more important things for me to do these days, are there not?"

The old king smiled in satisfaction. "Good."

* * *

Elsa slowly walked with Kai towards her dining hall. "I trust that Zander left for the Southern Isles?"

Kai nodded. "He left shortly after dawn yesterday, and left this note for you." He handed a small envelope to the Queen. "He took Lieutenant Ingarth with him."

Elsa stopped. "Really? But he always works alone." She continued to walk. "What of General Urban?"

Kai handed another note to the Queen. "He is with Her Majesty's troops in the Vale of Sverk. His report indicates that the exercises are progressing slowly."

"That's not good news. Why slowly?"

Master Kai shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why, Your Majesty. Perhaps his letter to you indicates why?"

Elsa looked at the note in her hand. "Of course. How many of us for dinner tonight? Tell me who so I won't be surprised when I get there."

"I'm afraid just you tonight, Madame."

Elsa stopped at the door to the dining hall, hand on the handle. "What? Where is Princess Anna?"

"She is still in the city, You Majesty. I don't think she plans on coming home tonight."

Elsa gripped the handle tighter and a small dusting of frost fell through her fingers. "What makes you think so, Kai?"

Kai blinked at the coldness in the Queen's voice. "She sent the carriage back to the castle, Your Majesty."

Elsa stared at the Master sternly. "See that I'm not disturbed, Master Kai—at dinner, nor afterwards." She pulled at the handle roughly and entered her dining hall.

* * *

The Queen stared into the fireplace, book on her lap, and a digestif in hand, but could not concentrate on either. She was wide-awake and frustrated at not being able to sleep, and tomorrow was an important day; she was journeying to the Valley of the Living Rock and seeking counsel with the jötunn. Elsa put down her glass and looked at her book, and then realized she was reading the same page for the past hour. Frustrated, she threw the book on the table and downed her entire glass of brandy. But this failed to soothe her, and she got up and began to pace around her parlor, the frost following her as she went. She finally looked up and noticed that everything in the room had a fine layer of hoarfrost over it. Elsa impatiently waved her hand and the rime disappeared. But it was enough to completely chill the room, so she put more logs on the fire.

It was almost eleven o'clock when she finally heard the sound of someone wandering down the hallway outside her door. She poked her head out and saw that it was Anna, and she appeared to be…

"Anna?"

The princess stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes wide, and looking guilty for the most part. "Elsa?"

They stared at one another for the longest time, until Elsa finally emerged from her room. "Have you been drinking?"

Anna wavered slightly, and looked down at her shoes. "Yup—just a little."

"Alone?" She hated how her voice sounded at that moment.

"Since when?" Anna looked around her, then laughed. "Of course I'm not alone, silly, you're here." She staggered to the wall and leaned against it. "Why is the room spinning?"

Elsa grabbed Anna's hand and helped her to walk into her parlor. "Come on, Anna. Let's get you into bed."

The princess giggled. "Nah, I just got out of bed. Don't want to."

Elsa stopped and dropped Anna's hand as if it was a hot coal. She slowly turned around, her eyes steely cold. "What did you just say?"

"Aw, Elsa, don't be like this." The princess tried to hug her sister but Elsa shoved her away. "What wrong?"

"You… you slept with Kristoff?" Even Elsa couldn't believe the words as they left her mouth.

"Sleep?" Anna appeared to grapple at the concept. "Yeah, sleep—I'm so tired."

At that moment Elsa shattered, and her heart lay bare, her soul in pieces. _Oh, Anna…_ But she clamped the knowledge deep inside, determined not to fall apart at the seams. "What have you done…?"

But the princess had fallen into one of the chairs at the fireplace, and was already asleep.

* * *

Elsa awoke at dawn and immediately knew that her sister was lying next to her. She had crawled into the bed sometime after the fire died down, seeking Elsa's warmth. Elsa closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She would not do it, not now, not ever again. After rolling over and sitting up she turned to look down at Anna's peaceful face and she was tempted to caress her cheek. But the memory of last night's conversation hit her, and she hardened her heart, if only for now. Elsa got out of bed to begin preparations for her departure.

There was a discreet knock on her door. She quietly made her way to her parlor. "Yes?"

"It is Gerda, Your Majesty."

Elsa opened the door and smiled. "Good morning, Gerda. I trust that everything is ready?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The carriage awaits to take you to the stables immediately."

The Queen glanced over her shoulder. "Gerda, the princess is sleeping in my bed She—had a rough night, and will need to taken care of when she awakes."

Gerda looked surprised. "Is the princess well, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, but she favored too much drink last night, and I don't suppose she'll wake up in the best of moods." Elsa put on her riding gloves. She was about to leave, and then paused at her door. "If she's upset over anything tell her—tell her not to worry, that everything will be alright."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

* * *

The carriage arrived at the Royal Stables just as the sun peeked over the eastern hills. The morning was cold, and frost covered the ground. Elsa stepped down from the carriage and immediately went into the stables, ignoring footmen and guards. She found Kristoff already waiting for her. But he didn't look like his normal self. He looked tired and his normally bright eyes were bloodshot. There were a few guards in the foyer, and she ordered them out.

Elsa glared at Kristoff. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

The mountain man removed his hat. "I'm so sorry for feeling sick this morning, but…"

"Anna came home drunk! After spending the night with you!"

Kristoff's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty, but we—I mean, Anna…well, we went to the bar to have a farewell drink…and one thing led to another…"

"What? Is that all you've got to say for yourself? What were you thinking, Kristoff?"

Kristoff backed up a step. "We really just wanted to celebrate my leaving, and not be glum about it."

Elsa was furious, and took a step closer to the mountain man. "So you decided to bed her?!"

Kristoff was aghast. "What? No, no, no! All she did was sleep in my bed for a while! We didn't have…have…" He dropped to one knee. "We didn't have carnal relations, Your Majesty, I swear it!"

Elsa blinked, and her fury abated somewhat. "What? But she said…"

"She said we had sex?" The mountain man was nearly hysterical.

Elsa shook her head. "Ah, no, she was rather drunk." She thought about the conversation, and realized Anna never actually mentioned sex. Elsa closed her eyes.

"I swear by my honor."

All enmity drained from Elsa, and she cringed. "So, you and Anna?"

"All we did was drink too much, Your Majesty, I swear it." Kristoff calmed, noticing that the Queen seemed to be doing the same.

Elsa turned away from Kristoff and squeezed her eyes shut in shame for having believed that Anna would… Elsa groaned and mentally slapped herself for such thoughts. When she turned back to the mountain man, her look was apologetic. "I'm so sorry for jumping to conclusions, Kristoff. Come on, please get up."

But Kristoff was still a little wary. "Are you sure, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, please, come now."

"I would never lie to you, Your Majesty." The mountain man stood and dusted off his trousers, and then appeared to come to an unwanted decision. "I wanted to, but she was drunk, and we both said things we didn't really mean."

Elsa turned cold again. "What kind of things?"

"I told her I wasn't in love with her," Kristoff stated, his heart on his sleeve. "But I think I broke her heart when I said it, Your Majesty."

"You did?" Elsa stared at the ground, her heart broken for the second time.

"I think so, Your Majesty, because she started crying after I said it." Kristoff continued to clutch at his hat. "I hope she can forgive me."

Elsa looked up. "You know the Princess, Kristoff, she has a way of recovering from heartache rather quickly." She tilted her head slightly. "What kind of things did Anna say?"

Kristoff cleared his throat. "I…umm…don't know if I should repeat the things that came out of her mouth, Your Majesty."

Elsa's eyes went wide with the implication. "Oh, I see." She decided to leave the matter alone for now, and confront Anna when see returned in a few days. "Are you ready, Kristoff?"

"Just let me say good-bye to Sven, Your Majesty."

* * *

Anna rolled over onto side, caught somewhere between the awake and sleeping worlds, and groaned rather loudly. The effect of doing so pushed her more into the waking world and her eyes fluttered. The first thing she was aware of was the feeling of extreme nauseousness and a blinding headache. She carefully rolled onto her back and tried to remember anything about the previous night that would cause this. She drifted in-between sleep and wakefulness, her mind flitting from one scenario to another, and she settled on the image of her sister leaning over her, sweating and grunting. Her eyes snapped open.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness."

"Gerda?" Anna tried to speak but her mouth felt like cotton. "What time is it?"

The Head of the Household looked over to Elsa's clock. "About two in the afternoon, Your Highness." She rose from her seat at the foot of the bed. "I've taken the liberty of brewing some tea that should help with your headache and upset stomach." She brought a tray over to one of the Queen's side tables and poured a generous portion. "Would you fancy some sugar in your tea, Madam?"

Anna turned her head and inhaled the soothing aroma of the tea. "How…how did you know I'd be sick?"

"Her Majesty told me, this morning, Your Highness."

"Elsa did? But how…" Anna closed her eyes again and tried to think of what exactly happened the previous night. She remembered leaving the Queen to go into the village to look for Kristoff, to say good-bye to him. But what happened next…?

They decided to go and have a drink… just one drink? Anna slowly sat up, her bleary eyes blinking and tearing up. She glanced at Gerda. "Gerda, do you what happened last night?"

Gerda offered the Princess a comforting smile. "All I know is that Her Majesty instructed me to look after you, Your Highness—and that you had a few too many."

Anna clutched at her aching head and brought the steaming cup to her lips, and downed most of the tea in one long slurp. Afterwards, she slumped back on the bed and burped rather loudly. "Excuse me."

Gerda sat on the end of the bed and regarded the younger woman. "My, my…I remember when you were a wee one, Princess. Do you remember when I would bounce you on my knee? You would giggle oh so sweetly."

Anna lifted her head and opened one eye. "I swear if you bounce me now I'll vomit all over you."

Gerda chuckled. "Does Her Highness require some food?"

The princess rolled on her side again and groaned. "No…oh, god… please don't bring food to me now, unless you want to torture me."

The Head of the House smiled and stood up. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Princess?"

"No, thank you, Gerda. Leave the tea, though."

Gerda refilled the Princess's cup before taking her leave. After she was gone Anna sat up again and sipped the tea, and tried to remember everything that happened the previous night.

Bits and pieces started to come back to her after a few moments and she remembered making many toasts to celebrate Kristoff's voyage to the Americas, and then… something about… kissing, or more than just kissing? Anna fully opened her eyes, her pain momentarily forgotten. Did she kiss Kristoff in her drunken state? She seemed to remember wanting to kiss him and then… Anna blushed at the clear memory of planting one sloppy kiss on Kristoff's lips, and then wanting to take it further, but the mountain man refused. Then her mind became fuzzy again and she couldn't remember what happened next, only that she was wandering the halls of the castle…

_Wait, what…?_ Anna jerked and almost dropped her cup. It landed on the table with a slosh and she ran her hand over her face at the memory of bumping into Elsa and telling her she was drunk. She couldn't be absolutely sure, but somehow she had conveyed to her sister her inebriated state of mind, she was sure of it. _Oh, no…_ Elsa knew she had been out drinking…and… and…hadn't she told Elsa she was in Kristoff's bed? Anna cringed and inhaled rather deeply, and then fell back onto the bed again… and then became aware she wasn't in her bed, but in Elsa's. She opened her eyes and felt her heart sink. Yes, she was sure that she somehow told Elsa she had been in Kristoff's bed. _Did Elsa think Kristoff and I…?_

Anna felt ashamed, and knew then she had wanted Kristoff when she was drunk, but he had been the one to stop anything from happening between them; and she was also sure that Elsa probably thought that they did. She buried her face in her hands and cried. Not only for herself, but also for selfishly using the mountain man, and the reasons why.

* * *

Kristoff opened his eyes to a gray and misty morning. He got up and looked out of the cave they were sleeping in and saw the dull, stilted morning, wondering why there was a feeling of expectation in the air. Their horses were still tied near the cave's entrance but appeared to be a bit skittish. The mountain man looked over his shoulder to the sleeping Queen and wondered how she knew this cave existed, as he didn't think she had ever ventured to this land as an adult. Kristoff went over to his horse and pulled off one of his saddlebags and sat down next to the entrance. He pulled out bread and cheese and began to eat.

Elsa turned over onto her side and slowly opened her eyes, adjusting herself into a more comfortable position. It wasn't easy on the cold ground however, and she pulled her blanket up closer to her body. Kristoff was at the cave's entrance, and was eating and looking around. She lifted her head. "Good morning, Kristoff."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Kristoff returned. "Forgive me for not getting up."

"That's alright." Elsa yawned and sat up, and then felt the call of nature. She slipped on her boots and wrapped the blanket around herself and stepped out to the cave's entrance. She paused at the look in the sky. "The morning seems muted, almost unwanted, and leery."

Kristoff stopped eating and looked up at the Queen, a queer feeling stealing over him. "That sounds way too gloomy, Your Majesty."

Elsa looked down at the man. "Sorry, perhaps I should keep my observations to myself? I'll be back in a few minutes."

Kristoff took a large bite of cheese and watched Elsa as she rounded a large boulder. He wondered, and not for the first time, if the Queen was sick and seeking out the trolls to cure her of her ailment; because she had talked the same silliness yesterday as she just did now. Didn't Anna ramble on about something similar while they were getting drunk? She had talked about the end of the world and fulfilling some sort of strange prophecy; and now the Queen seemed to be talking in riddles, using similar language.

He looked up and saw Elsa returning and decided to ask her about it. "May I ask you a question, Your Majesty?"

Elsa dropped her blanket and retrieved her own saddlebag. "Is something bothering you, Kristoff?"

"I guess—I'm being a little curious." He rummaged through his bag and produced a dried salami. "Well, when Anna was drunk…" He saw the Queen stiffen momentarily. "…she talked about some really strange stuff."

Elsa produced some dried lingonberries from her bag and began munching on them. "What kind of stuff?"

"It was dismal, just like you did a few minutes ago. About the end of the world and prophecies—something about dark magic."

The Queen sighed, but decided not to open up to the inquisitive man. "I'm sure she was just drunk and rambling on about nothing."

"That's the thing, Your Majesty, it gave me a strange feeling when she did."

"You were drunk, as well, Kristoff."

The mountain man regarded the Queen for a few moments and wondered if he was just being inane in his thoughts. "You're right, Your Majesty. What could I be thinking, right?"

Elsa put down her bag an cringed somewhat. She hadn't meant to demean the sensitive man. "I'm sorry, Kristoff. I didn't mean to debase you in any way." She thought about it some more, and then made a decision. "Kristoff, may I entrust you with an important matter?"

"Aside from my bad behavior yesterday I think I'm trustworthy, Your Majesty. Just ask ole Sven."

The Queen then proceeded to tell Kristoff all about the Fimbulvetr and Jörmungandr and of the true nature of the Trolls who raised him. But she was certain to leave some specific portions of the prophecy secret, the ones concerning her and Anna.

After their talk Elsa and Kristoff packed up their scattered camp and headed with all haste towards the Valley of the Living Rock, both eager to engage the trolls.

* * *

**_Thank you for all the support and comments, I really do appreciate them. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. _**_I admit that I caved in this chapter, and didn't have Anna and Kristoff have sex (people reacted badly to the idea), as I __initially intended. It would not have been gratuitous, though, and it would have created a specific tension for the upcoming chapters, which is now lost._

_**Note 8/19/14:** This note is in response to the __negative reviews that this story is not Elsanna. Trust me, it is, from this point forward. Remember that at this time in the story Anna is a little freaked out by the whole Fimbulvetr ordeal, and is perhaps acting out a bit because of it. She settles down and realizes what an ass she's been, I promise; and there i definitely love in the future for Elsa and Anna._


	12. Chapter 12

The forest gave way to the horse chestnuts and beech trees the further into the troll's territory they wandered. The well-worn paths disappeared once again to be replaced by a rockier terrain and the appearance of the hot springs. Elsa felt more comfortable as the time passed, and the closer she came to Yggdrasil, but her thoughts kept straying back to Arendelle, and to Anna. It wasn't long before the sun seemed to stop its movement in the sky, and time halted altogether. The sky took on a golden color, interspersed with its usual blue, and the air itself hung heavily about them. Not only were the horses edgy, but so was Kristoff, as a new understanding of the land sank deeper into his conscious. He looked about at every noise, startling himself and his horse.

The Queen turned her horse closer to Kristoff's. "Relax, I guarantee nothing bad is going to happen to you." She spurred her horse to a trot. "Follow me, Kristoff."

It was mid-afternoon when the Queen of Arendelle arrived at the Valley of the Living Rock. Elsa led them past the clearing and into the deeper forest where the golden rays of sun fell between the thick branches of the tall conifers. After a half an hour of weaving in between the tall, thick trees Elsa finally saw their destination: Yggdrasil, and the trolls were gathered about it.

Elsa halted about fifty yards from the giant white tree and dismounted. "We walk the rest of the way."

Kristoff looked about him. "I've never been this deep into the forest. It's a little—spooky. Like the dark magic Anna was talking about."

The Queen briefly touched his arm. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Kristoff, please believe me."

The mountain man smiled weakly. "Okay, Your Majesty."

Elsa turned to go, then paused. "Kristoff, I think you can dispense with the honorific. You can call me 'Elsa'." She smiled at the man before leading them towards whatever destiny had in store for them.

As they got closer to Yggdrasil Elsa removed her officer's coat and threw it on the ground; her wings began to flutter in anticipation underneath her shirt. Kristoff saw this and his eyes went wide. Even though Elsa had told him all about her physical transformations he still had harbored some doubts. No more. Here was the clear evidence that the Queen had been truthful about everything. He drew in a sharp breath and wondered at the things Anna had said while drunk. Was all of it true?

Elsa stopped on the periphery of the small clearing around the giant white tree and nodded to Pabbie who was standing at its base. The remainder of the trolls were scattered about on the massive spherical stone that surrounded Yggdrasil, and appeared to be in a trance. "Jörmungandr has returned."

The old troll nodded once, and his apprentice, Hølje, stepped up to Elsa. "What is your intent, Jörmungandr? Have you come to challenge the future?"

Elsa shook her head. "No, I have accepted my destiny and my place in the world. I seek knowledge, and understanding. I seek counsel with the jötunn, and to beseech upon their mercy."

Hølje glanced back at Pabbie, and they exchanged a meaningful glance. The shaman turned around and touched the Yggdrasil. "The knowledge of which you seek—from the jötnar of old—life and death, good and evil, sublime and ridiculous. You will find upon the branches of Yggdrasil." He turned around and faced Elsa. "Frey, the son of Njörð, had seated himself on Hliðskjálf, and looked out across all the worlds. He sought to subdue jötunn to his will, and failed. Is this what you seek, Jörmungandr?"

Elsa blinked and took a step back. "No, there is no guile in me. Come and place your hand upon my heart and know the truth."

Pabbie walked up to Elsa, but kept his hands to himself, respecting her royal stature. "To do so would be an act of insolence, Queen Elsa." The old troll smiled and indicated for Elsa to follow him as he ambled around Yggdrasil. "Just as from Niflheim there arose coldness and all things grim, so what was facing close to Muspell was hot and bright, but Ginnungagap was as mild as a windless sky. And when the rime and the blowing of the warmth met so that it thawed and dripped, there was a _quickening_ from these flowing drops due to the power of the source of the heat, and it became the form of a human." Grand Pabbie stopped and looked pointed at Elsa. "Does this speak a truth to you, Jörmungandr?"

Elsa pondered the words, but their meaning eluded her. "I am afraid I don't understand."

Pabbie stopped when the trolls that were standing around on the giant spherical rock began to chant, albeit almost silently. "If you seek understanding with the jötnar you must understand the prophecies, Queen Elsa. Everything now is depending on your power to perceive, and your actions upon your discernment."

The Queen stopped walking and thought over the old trolls words. _Quickening_—what on earth did the prophecy mean by this? She knew the word meant something like 'hastening' or 'moving along' but what did… "Wait, you said to the effect that when this quickening happened a man appeared?"

"No, not a man, Queen Elsa."

"A human, then? When the cold rime was swept by blowing warmth? These two elemental forces created—life?"

"Again, Queen Elsa, what does this knowledge speak _to you_?"

Elsa looked back to Kristoff but he merely shrugged his shoulders, a strange and distant look on his face. The Queen rubbed at her temples in an effort to ward off an impending headache, and her horns started to hurt. "Are you asking me to give my own meaning to the words?"

Grand Pabbie stopped at the base of the giant tree and touched it again. "How can the jötnar help you if you do not understand?"

"I'm trying." Elsa watched the swaying branches on the white tree, and thought she saw an enormous hawk staring down at her from high above. There was a shift in the branches, and she realized the hawk was sitting on the head—between the eyes—of a much larger eagle. They were testing her, and she knew it.

Pabbie followed Elsa's line of sight. "Veðrfölnir awaits, are you ready to ascend to the truth, Queen Elsa?"

Elsa blew out a frustrated breath. "What does the creation of life have to do with me?"

Pabbie just stared at her, his face inscrutable. "Creation and procreation."

"Okay, what does procreation have to—" She stopped mid-sentence, her heart racing at the implication. Pabbie knew. _Kin will lie with kin_…_procreation…_ _oh, my god_… Her head swam and she felt her legs starting to give out on her, so she sank to the ground on her knees, and then sat back on her heels.

The shaman turned back to face Elsa, his expression grim. "With understanding comes awareness, and with awareness comes an almost unbearable sorrow."

Kristoff went to the Queen's side and knelt next to her. "What is he talking about, Elsa?" When the Elsa didn't answer he turned his head to Pabbie. "Grandfather, what did you mean?"

Elsa put her arm on Kristoff's. "Kristoff, please don't worry about this. This is something that I alone must bear."

The mountain man smiled down at her. "Will you be alright?"

"Of course—I think." Elsa reached up and kissed Kristoff on the cheek. "Will you help me up?" Elsa stood on shaky legs and walked up to Pabbie. "Am I ready to face the jötnar?"

"You are ready." Pabbie hobbled over to Kristoff, a heavy weight on his shoulders. "Walk with me." Kristoff glanced over his shoulder at the Queen as he walked away with his grandfather and gave her a reassuring smile.

Elsa noticed that the other trolls had turned in on themselves and now bore a striking resemblance to rocks. She blinked and glanced around her; there was absolute silence in the forest. Even Yggdrasil's swaying branches failed to make a sound. After taking a deep breath she knew what she had to do.

* * *

The Queen unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the ground. Then she stooped and removed her boots, flexing her toes when done. Her wings began to flutter again in anticipation as she stepped to the base of the tree and hauled herself up to the lowest branch. Yggdrasil reacted to Elsa's touch and a low moan started in its three roots and vibrated up the trunk. She stood on the branch and waited, but nothing happened. It was then that she realized she needed to climb higher into the tree to discover its secrets. Once again, she climbed, and this time scaled up the trunk to about twenty feet and felt the rumbling from the foundation of the world. Elsa clung to a certain branch when she felt a familiar pulling at her back; her wings were growing out again, and she could feel the sting of blood dripping down her back as they forced themselves further out of her body. She grunted into the pain and released a shuddering breath. After awhile the pain subsided, and she was able to proceed up the tree.

Elsa flapped her wings robustly for the first time, and they helped her to ascend higher into Yggdrasil. At this point the humming from the tree grew louder and the branches became shrouded in a thin mist. As she stepped up to a particularly large branch the eagle poked its massive head from a copse of leaves. The hawk between its eyes squawked rather loudly and Elsa would have fallen if her wings hadn't helped to steady her. She held on tightly to the branches and glared at Veðrfölnir and the eagle.

The hawk glared back at the Queen. "Seeker of knowledge. You ascend Yggdrasil as ignorant as a newborn babe."

Elsa bristled. "I may be many things, Veðrfölnir, but ignorant is not one of them. Do you not recognize the great Jörmungandr?" She stood firm and didn't back down.

The eagle remained silent, but the hawk was agitated at the news. "Great Jörmungandr, how may I truly know it is really you?"

Elsa smirked. "Send Ratatoskr the squirrel to the foundation and the three roots, and inquire of the wyrm Níðhöggr as to the truth. I imprisoned him there."

The hawk bellowed and Ratatoskr climbed up the tree, and then eyed Elsa warily for a moment, then it cried out. "Oh, Jörmungandr, why do you return to punish your lowly servants?"

Veðrfölnir cackled and flapped his wings. "Ratatoskr, you know—this creature?"

But the messenger wasn't listening, and slowly backed away from Elsa in supplication. After it was gone she turned her attention back to the hawk. "Let me pass, now!"

The hawk bowed its head. "Forgive me, Jörmungandr. My eyes are now open."

A low growl emanated from the eagle and it bowed its head before disappearing behind the leaves. Elsa's wings fluttered in satisfaction and she grasped at the branches above her. After about twenty minutes of climbing she came to another enormous branch and easily lifted herself on it. The humming in Yggdrasil increased, and the mist that was surrounding the tree began to swirl as if in a breeze; and then, out of nowhere, dísir appeared, formed out of the mist itself and they began to swirl around the Queen.

One of them stopped in front of Elsa and regarded her. The dís looked at her strangely, as if taking her measure. "Fate."

Elsa waited, her wings fluttering madly behind her. "Yes?"

"That which has come to pass and that which is in the process of happening are one and the same. Two worlds that come together to form one cohesiveness—unitary and inseparable. What do you seek, o mighty Jörmungandr—how may Fate serve you?"

Elsa cleared her throat. "I seek counsel with the jötnar. I want to secure their promise, through a treaty, to come to Arendelle's aid in the war to come."

The ghost laughed. "And how do you propose to engage jötunn with a treaty? Treaties are for men and their evil purposes. Their oaths mean nothing to us!"

Elsa struggled to stay calm, and clung to the branches. "Then what must I do as Jörmungandr to gain favor with them?"

"You wish to know the wisdom of the nine worlds, o great wyrm, and once possessed of such knowledge, what would you do with it?"

"I want Arendelle safe!" Elsa couldn't keep the fury out of her voice.

"Arendelle? Is this your only consideration?"

Elsa swallowed, and the truth that Pabbie was trying to convey to her, came crashing down upon her. "No. I must keep Anna safe, if what I think to be true, is indeed." She looked down and couldn't see the base of the tree. "You are Fate, aren't you? Is it true, is Anna—oh, god, I can't even say it." Elsa cursed her weakness at that moment, and a single tear fell down her cheek; and as much as she tried she couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and broke down completely. "Anna is pregnant, with my child, isn't she? You must help me protect her!" She clung to the trunk of the tree and let her tears fall freely, and her tears fell onto the trunk itself and were absorbed by Yggdrasil. Those tears held everything that Elsa was—her hopes and dreams and her dismal failures; her loftiest thoughts to her baser emotions. All that was Elsa fell onto the great tree.

Yggdrasil fell silent; it's humming stopped completely; and the deep rumble at the foundation of the world quieted. All the dísir stopped their swirling and coalesced into one being and the creature that came forth was human like in its appearance. It regarded Elsa as she cried and reached out to capture one tear on its finger. It brought the tear up to its mouth and dropped it on its tongue. "It appears that the jötnar have heard your pleas, Jörmungandr, and have agreed to help you, in any way they can."

"What of Anna and Arendelle?" Elsa stopped crying, but was still feeling vulnerable.

"You are one with Arendelle and you must keep it safe."

The Queen wiped at her tears with the back of her hand, her heart conflicted over what she had learned on this day. She stepped away from the trunk and sat down on the large branch. Her emotions were still raw, and she wished she was back in Arendelle, and in the safety of Anna's arms. Elsa let out a deep cleansing breath, and shook her head slightly, to clear away all negativity.

She looked up and the creature was still before her, smiling in a knowing way. "What happens now?"

"Now, you go to sleep."

* * *

Elsa awoke at the base of the great white tree, and lifted her head. But she was uncomfortable on her back, as her wings were larger, and so she shifted onto her side. After a moment she decided to experiment with her wings, and used their momentum to propel herself off of the stone and onto her feet. She picked up her discarded shirt and put it on, but couldn't quite button it up so she let it hang freely. After putting on her boots she looked around and noticed that the trolls were gone so she used her new instincts to guide her back to the cave that she and Anna had used when they were in the Valley. After about a half an hour she was at the cave, and so were Kristoff, Pabbie, and the rest of the trolls.

Pabbie stepped forward, but the shaman didn't look well, and clung to his apprentice. "What of the future, Jörmungandr?"

Elsa released another cleansing breath. "The jötnar have agreed to help me."

Pabbie released a great sigh. "Then my task is completed." He dropped his walking stick on the ground. "I have returned Jörmungandr to the world and have seen to its future, and my time is now over."

Kristoff turned to his grandfather. "Hey, wait a minute. What are you saying?"

Bulda, alarmed, also came over and grasped her father's hand. "Father?"

Pabbie gently pulled his hand away and touched his daughter's cheek. "It is the way of things, my daughter, one leaves and…" He looked up at Elsa. "…one is soon to come." And with those parting words, the old troll fell onto the ground, and died.

The mountain man fell onto his knees and clutched Pabbie to him. "No, no, no! Pabbie!" He lifted his head and a great wail rolled to the heavens. The trolls wept, all except Hølje, the old troll's apprentice. He placed his hand on Pabbie's forehead and then placed his other one on Kristoff's. The mountain man gasped, and fell back onto his rear, still cradling his grandfather in his arms.

* * *

Elsa changed into one of Kristoff's larger shirts and sighed. She walked outside the cave to find the blonde man sitting on a large boulder outside the cave, and smoking a pipe. She regarded him sorrowfully. "I didn't know you smoked, Kristoff."

"Only when I need to think." Kristoff deadpanned. He remained on the rock and didn't turn around.

The Queen walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Kristoff." She sat down next to him.

"He showed me his memories."

"What?"

"Pabbie's memories, Your Majesty. Hølje showed me everything about the Fimbulwinter and my family's role in it." He looked at the pipe in his hands. "Why didn't he tell me about it sooner. I could have—helped him in some way."

Elsa looked at the blonde man. "Maybe Pabbie didn't want to burden you unnecessarily, Kristoff."

The mountain man grunted. "That's the story of my life, Your Majesty. No one wants to burden poor, dumb Kristoff."

Elsa cringed. "No, no. You are hardly a stupid man, Kristoff. Please don't think of yourself like that."

The blonde man wiped at a few tears. "Well, I've come to a decision, Elsa. I can't leave my family now. My mom is so hurt, and vulnerable—I just can't do it. I'm staying here and helping them anyway I can."

Elsa nodded. "Are you sure?"

Kristoff glanced at the Queen. "I've never been so sure in my life. Not even with Anna. I'm going to learn everything they know about this Fimbulwinter and help them when the war comes."

The Queen sighed, and then rested her head on the mountain man's shoulder. "You are a good man, Kristoff. You know, you and the trolls are welcome to come to Arendelle at any time."

Kristoff rested his cheek on Elsa's head, but then lifted quickly when he felt a horn. "Thank you for the invitation. But I've got to go back to the white tree and learn everything there is to know. I know Hølje is going to be the next shaman—but Pabbie was more than just a shaman, he was a leader. My people need a leader, Your Majesty, and I'm going to be the one to do it."

"Whatever Arendelle can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask." Elsa lifted her head and smiled at the blonde man. "I suppose you'll want to have Sven back."

"Absolutely. What's a leader without a right-hand man." He grinned as Elsa swatted his arm.

* * *

Elsa left the Valley of the Living Rock and promised to return if needed. Despite leaving Kristoff in a good mood, she found herself slowly receding into a contemplative state the farther away from the Valley she rode. So by the time she left the safety of the magical land her mood darkened, and a weight settled onto her shoulders. There was still something she needed to deal with when she returned home; and that was Anna. _How am I going to get through to her…?_

The Queen had no idea how she was going to approach her sister. It was bad enough that Anna had gotten drunk with the blonde man, but did she really want to sleep with him, or was it simply because she _was_ drunk? Elsa stopped her horse at a small stream to let it drink, and she got down to relieve herself.

She looked at her reflection in the water and wondered why her parents had been so remiss in this most important part of her life. Why had they gone to their graves without a least giving her some sort of preparation for the times ahead. Had her mother really been that scared of the responsibility? Elsa realized she was very tired and she took her horses reins and walked along the familiar path that she knew would take her back to Arendelle.

Elsa had never believed in Fate before this last week, and, like Anna, had always thought her actions themselves set the course of her life. But now, with Fimbulvetr and the war to come, and her role as Jörmungandr—it was all almost too much to think on at that moment. So she removed it from her mind and settled onto her peaceful surroundings. But after awhile she felt a prickling at the back of her neck, and her wings started to flutter slightly. She stopped walking and erased all thoughts, except for that crawling feeling up her spine_. I am being watched…_

The Queen let go of the horse's reins and took off her riding gloves, placing them on the saddle. Then she let go of all reason and let the instinct of the dragon take over. She discarded the officer's coat and began to unbutton her shirt. It too was set on the saddle and she let her wings unfold to their longest length. She concentrated on the wings and felt a tearing at her skin again, and more of the wing popped out of her back, until they spanned a length of almost six feet. She rolled her head and let the beast take over, moaning as her mind receded and the animal took over.

The creature turned abruptly and was face to face with a Norn, so far removed from Yggdrasil that a creature of its kind had ever been. The Norn hissed, and circled around Elsa, but she matched the creature move for move, and when the Norn lunged at her she was easily able to evade it. Elsa blast ice from her left hand and this surprised the Norn more than anything. The blast hit it on its left shoulder and it wailed in pain. Elsa flapped her wings and lifted off the ground as the Norn set about another attack and she eluded it once again.

The Norn scowled. "Do you think you are so clever Jörmungandr that you can elude destiny?"

"Dying at your hands is hardly my destiny." She flipped over and landed on her feet in back of the Norn, and blasted it for a second time with her freezing ice. The creature glowered again at her before it fled back in the direction of the Valley, back to Yggdrasil.

Elsa growled deep in her throat, and blinked her eyes several times in an effort to calm down and come back to herself. It worked, and in a few minutes was breathing out a ragged breath. She felt blood at the slits in her back and cringed when she put her shirt back on, and tried to smooth out her ruffled plait. After looking around she spotted her horse about fifty yards away and slowly started walking back to it.

* * *

Anna sat in the Conservatory and tried to concentrate on her music, but her mind refused to focus on the notes before her, and she rested her hands on her knees. Elsa was due back on this day, and she had no idea how to express to her the sorrow she felt on the inside. Anna knew that she had messed up badly, and desperately wanted to do something to make it right again. _You complete and utter fool, messing with Kristoff that way when you knew you didn't really want him…_

Anna got up and moved to sit by the fireplace, where a warm fire burned. She reached over to a decanter of brandy and was about to pour some into a glass when there was a knock on the door.

The princess looked up. "Come in."

Gerda poked her head into the room. "Your Highness, I thought you'd like to know that the Queen has returned. But she has requested a few hours—" The Head of the Household didn't get a chance to finish her sentence, as the princess flew by her.

Anna didn't even bother to knock, and rushed into Elsa's parlor and looked around frantically, but Elsa wasn't in her parlor so she went into the Queen's bedroom and Elsa wasn't in her bedroom. She heard a splashing sound in the bathroom and slowly went to the door and poked her head in.

Elsa was in her tub, sitting crosswise, her head down. "Don't you ever knock?" She didn't look up, and splashed hot water on her face.

Anna noticed the dried blood on the Queen's back. "Are you hurt?"

Elsa finally looked up. "Come here." She handed a soapy wet cloth to Anna. "Can you clean my back…please?"

The princess fell to her knees and took the cloth and then gently rubbed it over the Queen's back. She reached over and grabbed the closest wing and spread it out, then she ran the cloth over the wing to clean it. "Elsa, were you in a fight?"

The Queen closed her eyes. "How can you tell?"

"Your wings are filthy, and this one has a slight tear in it. Can't you feel that?"

Elsa exhaled loudly. "Now that you mention it." Anna's hands were smooth on her back and wings, and her touch was gentle. Elsa's body, despite its utter state of exhaustion, responded. She grit her teeth and then her hand lashed out and grabbed Anna's. She used the momentum to spin around and face her sister. Their eyes locked and a fire erupted between them.

Elsa staggered out of the tub and pinned Anna to her bathroom wall. All of her hurt, frustration, and lust burst from her at that moment, and used her superior strength to part Anna's legs.

Anna gasped, her body a pent up coil of need. "Oh, gods…please…" She needed forgiveness from Elsa, but she also needed this—this purely wanton gift that only Elsa could give her. Her core burned , and the heat spread out like fine tendrils of the purest pleasure. All thought was obliterated as she helped Elsa to hike up her skirt. There would be time, much latter, for soft-spoken words and gentle caresses, but not now. She gasped again when Elsa plunged deep inside her; and she threw her head back and grunted as Elsa's thrusts slammed her against the wall again and again. Yes, healing was for another place and time… or perhaps this was part of that process, she couldn't be sure, not with Elsa rutting into her like she was.

Anna drifted in and out of awareness for the longest time, and marveled at Elsa's stamina. After an eternity of exquisite pleasure the muscles in her lower abdomen clenched, and her inner walls constricted around Elsa's heated flesh. She had brought herself to orgasm a number of times, but none of them were like this—this visceral sensation of a thousand exploding stars. Her pleasure rippled out in waves, and caught her in its incendiary grip. She barely registered Elsa's own cries, or the hot flow of her seed as it filled her up completely. Their eyes met again, and instead of the pain that both expected, there was only their mingled breaths of satiation.

Elsa closed her eyes and rested her head on Anna's shoulder. It felt good to be home.

* * *

**_I can't believe this is here already. I think I updated just a few days ago. Anyway, please let me know what you think, please review._**


	13. Chapter 13

Anna rolled onto her side, and drifted somewhere between the waking world and sleep. After awhile she yawned and tentatively opened her eyes and found herself face to face with Elsa, who was still asleep. She blinked several times then yawned again, ascending quickly to an awakened state. Her body felt incredibly good, and with a blush, she realized the reason why. Elsa had been—so ardent in her desire that even now, her body still tingled. Anna inhaled slowly the sweet scent that was Elsa and then sighed in contentment.

"You're staring."

Anna blushed again. "I can't help it, Elsa. You are so…so…"

Elsa silenced her with a gently placed finger on her lips. "You don't have to say anything." She opened her eyes, and smiled sweetly.

"Okay." Anna snuggled into the blankets. "I didn't sleep well when you were gone."

Elsa gently rolled on top of Anna, careful not to startle her. "Well, I think we've found a cure for your insomnia." She bent down and brushed her lips against Anna's, eliciting a quiet moan from the princess below her. Their lips barely ghosted, but it was enough to stir both of them.

"Anna…" Elsa slowly rolled her hips, then lifted slightly on her knees, and spread Anna's legs apart. She bent her head towards Anna's breast and slowly circled her nipple with the tip of her tongue.

They writhed together like this for the longest time, hands all over the other, gently tugging and squeezing.

Anna squirmed under Elsa's gentle ministrations and arched her back. She ran her hands down Elsa's back and up again, careful not to ruffle her sensitive wings. Her left hand fisted the sheet below her, and she ran her other through Elsa's blonde locks. "Yes…just like that…"

Elsa switched to the other breast, her hands roaming unhurriedly all over the princess below her. "I'll be gentle…" She entered slowly, Anna's wetness coating her and making it as painless as possible. But instead of erratically thrusting, as she did earlier, she merely tensed her buttock muscles, which eased her into Anna thoroughly yet gradually.

Anna sighed and her head lolled to the side. "Oh, that feels so good." She spread her legs wider and bent her knees. "Elsa…"

Elsa adjusted her position, and their breasts touched. With infinite tenderness she rocked her pelvis against Anna's, and she laid her head on her shoulder. "Anna…" Her panting was barely audible, and she brought her hand up to cup Anna's cheek. "I love—this."

Anna was completely undone by the sweet torture, and soon felt the small tremors in her lower abdomen. Her whole body was awash in the satisfying pleasure, and she soon sucked in a deep breath as the force of her orgasm rippled through her, and then spread out like a fine filigree of electricity, moving up her spine and spreading out onto her quaking limbs.

Elsa continued her slow thrusting, her own body begging for its own sweet release. Both hands migrated to Anna's soft face and she lifted her head to stare down into her inviting eyes. "Anna—" She was trembling, holding back tears, her body undulating with need.

Anna grabbed her head and whispered hotly in her ear. "Let it go."

Elsa did.

* * *

Elsa emerged from her closet fully dressed and was putting on her uniform jacket. She frowned somewhat when she noticed that Anna was still in her bed. "Are you not going to get up?"

Ann stretched and pulled the duvet closer to her. "I'm not sure that I can. My toes are still tingling."

Elsa blushed, and lowered her head. "Really?"

Anna closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh, yes." She opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. "We missed lunch, Elsa. I'm surprised no one came to remind you."

Elsa sat down on the bed and nodded. "That is odd. I usually can't get the staff to leave me alone." She began to fidget. "You don't suppose anyone… came to the door, do you? Let me check." She hurriedly walked out of the bedroom, and then came back immediately. "Anna, my parlor door was unlocked."

Anna's eyes widened. "I don't remember locking it after I barged right it."

"Anna, you must be more careful, okay? We can't afford to make any mistakes, not with what the future holds." Elsa sat back down on the bed and took her sister's hand. "There is just too much at stake."

"I understand, and I'm sorry. I won't make that mistake again."

"Good, thank you." Elsa paused, as if thinking on something difficult. "Perhaps its time to change our strategy, Anna, and confide in someone as too what is to come."

Anna blinked. "You mean tell someone else about the Fimbulvetr and the prophecies?"

"Not one person, but a few key people in the Kingdom who have influence on the others." Elsa scooted on the bed and leaned against her headboard. "Master Kai is one who needs to know. As Master of the Castle he has authority over its entire staff, even the guards and soldiers who protect it."

"Yeah, that makes sense. What about Gerda? She has a lot of influence as Head of the Household."

Elsa shook her head. "I'm not sure about Gerda, as Kai is her direct supervisor, and he will know." Elsa pursed her lips. "Let me think about Gerda, okay? General Urban needs to know—he's a levelheaded man, and I think I can trust him to do the right thing when the time comes—and Zander knows a little part of the truth. It may be useful to tell him everything."

"Why?" Anna cringed, feeling a bit of jealousy.

Elsa sighed. "Again, Anna, please don't be jealous of Zander. He's not only loyal to me but to you and the Kingdom, as well."

"Is there anyone else we should tell?"

Elsa thought it over. "Am I missing anybody? Kai and General Urban seem like the best choices for now." She looked up to the clock. "The general staff meeting starts soon."

Anna yawned. "Have fun."

The Queen smiled at Anna as she sat up. "I've got to go, Anna." As she swung her legs over the side of the bed a thought occurred to her. "Anna, come with me."

Anna rolled onto her side. "Why would I want to go to a staff meeting?"

Elsa turned to face her. "Because you'll have to be Queen one of these days, and you need to learn these simple duties."

The princess sat up immediately, reality settling on her uncomfortably. "Okay, I'm sorry. Can we find something to eat afterwards?"

Elsa chuckled. "I was thinking we could stroll on into town, find a nice restaurant or ale house?"

Anna clapped her hands in excitement. "I'd love to!"

* * *

"I'm sure we'll be just fine, Captain." Elsa started walking from the courtyard to the outer gates.

But Captain Gunnar wasn't convinced, and trotted up to the Queen. "A thousand pardons, Your Majesty, but I can't let you and Princess Anna just wander into town by yourselves. I must insist upon going with you."

Elsa stopped walking and turned to face the guard. "Okay, but I insist that you and your men stay behind a few yards—give us some room. We are not prisoners, you know."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Guards!" The Captain whistled and about a half dozen castle guards scurried up to him. "Follow us—at a respectable distance, of course."

Elsa turned to go, Anna at her side. They exited the gates and slowly walked down the eastern bridge towards Arendelle village. After awhile Elsa turned her head and saw that the Captain was about ten yards behind them, and the rest of the guards were about ten yards behind the captain.

Anna saw the indignant look on Elsa's face. "What is it, Elsa?"

"As if I can't protect you by myself." The Queen adjusted the sword at her side. "Have they forgotten I have ice powers?"

Anna lowered her head and chuckled. "Well, I think it has to do with a certain Captain liking me."

Elsa huffed. "Are you talking about Captain Gunnar?" She glanced behind her again but didn't stop walking.

"Stop looking, Elsa." Anna linked her arm with Elsa's. "Please don't embarrass me."

The blonde briefly glanced at their interlocked arms. "It is he, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. It is flattering, I will admit."

Elsa grinned. "Yes, I do admit so myself." She looked away and smiled to herself at some hidden memory.

"Oh, care to share?" Anna drawled.

Anna's mischievous question wasn't lost on Elsa. "Nope, I do not."

The sun shone down from a cloudless sky, and a gentle breeze blew in from the bay, making their late afternoon walk a pleasurable experience. Several citizens nodded to them as they walked past, or bowed. Both gestures were acceptable to the Queen of Arendelle. Soon they were past the bridge making their way through the marketplace, with its myriad stalls. Elsa stopped at a flower vendor to admire the wild bluebells, and Anna used this opportunity to pause at the candy vendor, to sample the day's chocolate.

* * *

"How is your Kjøttkaker, Anna?" Elsa sat back in her seat and folded her napkin.

They were seated in a quaint café in the eastern part of the village where most of Arendelle's restaurants were located. The walls were paneled with dark wood and a large stone hearth provided most of the interior lighting. Anna and Elsa were seated next to the fire, and Elsa had ordered the guards to wait for them outside, as she didn't want them around during her meal. There were only a few other patrons in the small café.

Anna put down her fork and smacked her lips. "It's perfect." She spread lingonberry sauce on her potatoes. "But those pork chops of yours look delicious, too."

"It's been a long time since I enjoyed a good plate of Svinekoteletter." Elsa picked up her cup of ale and drank. "This was a good idea, wasn't it?"

"Of course, I'm glad I thought of it." She ducked the napkin Elsa tossed her way.

Elsa sighed, as there were a few things on her mind, things that she had yet to tell Anna, and she was a little afraid to bring them up. "Anna?"

The princess continued to eat without looking up. "Yes?"

"Are you a little curious to know what happened while I was in the Valley of the Living Rock?"

Anna looked up and a small smile graced her features. "I am interested, but you've been keeping me a little distracted."

Elsa's hand jerked a bit, spilling her meat and fried onions. "Oh, well…ahem, aside from that. There are a few things you need to know, Anna."

Anna could feel her heart sink a little. "What is it?"

"Grand Pabbie died while we were in the Valley."

The princess's eyes widened, and her fork dropped. "Oh, no…my goodness…" Her voice trailed off and she shook her head. "No, it can't be."

Elsa put down her own fork. "I'm sorry, Anna, I should have told you this sooner."

"I'm just glad you did." The princess tilted her head. "Does this mean the war has started?"

"No, it hasn't." Elsa thought about it for a few moments. "Actually, that's a very good question. Maybe… I don't know."

Anna lowered her head. "Oh, gods…I bet Kristoff was devastated."

"Anna, Kristoff isn't going to America. He decided to stay in the Valley after Pabbie's death—to help the trolls."

"He must be very upset."

"We all were, Anna." Elsa looked long and hard at the redhead; looking for any sign of Pabbie's revelation. "Do you feel well? I mean, if you were feeling—sick, you would tell me, right?"

Anna blinked. "Well, yes. But you always seem to know if I'm ill so I don't worry too much about it." She looked at Elsa closely. "What does my health have to do with Pabbie's death?"

"Nothing, really." Elsa was at a loss on how to tell Anna the most important news of perhaps her lifetime. Could the old troll have been wrong? Was Anna really pregnant? Elsa's head swam with all the implications, and then it hit her suddenly, with the force of a thousand cannons; she was going to be…to be… She suddenly felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach, so great was the impact on her psyche.

Anna noticed Elsa's sudden and drastic mood change and quickly reached over the table to grab her hand. "My god, Elsa, you look like you just saw a ghost! What is it?"

Elsa tried to speak, but her throat was constricted. All she could do at that moment was stare at Anna. _Anna is going to have my child—my child_… The blonde's eyes widened, and she was hit then with a sudden need to… laugh. She tried to stifled a giggle but couldn't. She put her hand on her mouth to hide her delight but she couldn't. Another giggle arose, unbidden, and for a brief second, she looked horrified.

Then Elsa burst out in the loudest laughter Anna ever heard from her. It surprised her so much that that all she could do was gawk, and wonder if her sister had finally lost her mind. But then the giggles hit her, and she joined in Elsa's revelry. The other patrons in the café regarded them for few moments, thought nothing was wrong, and then went back to eating their meals.

After awhile Elsa finally calmed enough to wipe at the few tears streaking down her cheeks. She breathed in deeply and then released a cleansing sigh. "Oh, Anna, I haven't laughed like that—ever."

Anna quieted, as well. "Will you tell me what that was all about?"

Elsa regarded the princess and smiled, feeling a profound sense of happiness at the moment. Nothing else mattered at this exact second but the undeniable reality that in nine months… _Nine months, a time of war…_ But then she sobered and realized at that time Arendelle might still be at war, with Anna right in the middle of the conflict—a pregnant Anna, giving birth while Arendelle burned. Her fleeting moment of happiness was over. "I—promise I will. I just can't, not right now."

Anna seemed to accept Elsa's answer because she picked up her fork and started eating again. Elsa, on the other hand, had lost her appetite but continued eating anyway, as to not draw suspicion on herself.

* * *

Fingaard and Hans rode their mounts into the battlefields of Jonvar an observed their forces during their practices. They finally stopped at the large tent in the center of the practice field and dismounted. Fingaard led Hans into the tent and took him immediately to a large wooden table that had a map on top of it; it was a map of Arendelle and its surrounding fjords.

Hans took off his riding gloves and poured himself some brandy. He brought his drink over to the map table. "Thanks for the tour, Fin. I will admit—I'm impressed with the progress the troops are making. Perhaps we'll be able to take Arendelle sooner than expected."

"That depends, brother."

Hans bristled slightly, he never liked the way Fingaard said 'brother'; the way it slipped off his tongue like a slander. "Depends on what?"

"Cousin Magnus, of course, and the Weselton forces."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about Magnus, my man at court we'll see to the training of their troops.

Fingaard laughed. "Your man at court? What on earth are talking about, Hans?"

"General Voljor of Weselton, my dear Finny, is in my pocket, so to speak—he's being blackmailed."

For a brief moment there was a look of self-doubt on Fingaard's face. But he covered it quickly. "How… did you manage that?"

Hans eyed his brother warily. "Never mind how I managed it. Your only concern is to help me win—and I'm serious when I say 'me.' First we decimate Arendelle, with Weselton's help, of course, and then at the last moment, we turn on our fair cousin and kill him, as well. It's a perfect plan, trust me." Hans drank his brandy and watched Fingaard over the rim of his glass. "What's the matter?"

"I… I would be wary of such a plan myself. How can you be sure about General Voljor?"

"I have my ways; I'm not as inept as you seem to think I am—brother." Hans finished his brandy and put the glass on the map. "Oh, and one more thing. I had to have poor Ingleif arrested, the stupid fool."

Fingaard merely nodded, and then poured his own glass of liquor. "On what charges?"

"It appears the fool was drunk and then began to brag about how he was planning to thwart my war against Arendelle. I hope it was only the drink talking, and not him. I'd hate to add treason to the list of charges against him, as well as public drunkenness." Hans smiled at his oldest brother, and then picked up his glass and handed it to him. "Another one, please."

Fingaard turned to pour Hans another drink, his face stony. He wondered if he had grossly misjudged his younger brother's abilities and intentions.

* * *

Countess Aida looked over the railing to her private tall ship and tried to hold in her latest meal. She was seasick, and hating travelling by ship. But at this time it was the fastest way to travel to Arendelle and she was determined to get to the small country as soon as she could. She had important information for its Queen, and she hoped to make there quickly. Truth be told, she wanted to see Elsa again, to make sure the new Queen was doing well.

Aida chuckled to herself at that last thought. She wasn't so much as worried over the monarchy as she was with Elsa personally, and—this supposed important trip was just an excuse to see her again. The Countess clutched at her stomach and groaned. Lunched seemed determined to be her undoing, and she thought glad to be rid of it as she leaned over the railing and heaved.

A seaman trotted over to her. "Are you alright, Lady Aida?"

The Countess waved him away and groaned.

But the sailor wasn't looking at her anymore and was staring over the railing towards the back of the ship. His eyes widened and he indicated for the Countess to look as well. There was another tall ship, fully rigged, at their stern, and following at a great distance.

* * *

Elsa and Steingard stood in the center of the north attic and watched as the workmen fitted the first of the irons bars to the windows. The Queen held her schematic and the architect smoked his pipe and gave out orders. Elsa looked about the large room with worried fascination. It was wonderful seeing her design being put into use, but the workers appeared to be working too slow, and days were passing until the next full moon.

The Queen unrolled her plans and spread it on a nearby table. She looked from the worker's progress to what she had written on the diagrams. "They're going too slow, Master Steingard. I have an exact timeframe written here and they're not following it."

The architect cleared his throat. "If I may, your Majesty, but I adjusted it to better suit your needs."

The blonde frowned. "But I told you, Steingard, that I need this finished by the end of the month…or sooner."

Steingard looked down at the plans again and shook his head, and then he gestured for the Queen to follow him to one of the walls. He banged on the stone wall with a hammer, nothing happened. "These outer walls are not a problem, Your Majesty, they will hold in the next great storm. But, come and take a look at this." He walked over to a wall that had a window in it.

He banged with his hammer again, and this time was able to dislodge a chunk of rock. It fell to the floor. "Its these window bearing walls that I'm concerned with. They are not as sturdy for some reason. So I'm having the workers toil on these walls first, along with the windows themselves."

Elsa sighed, greatly relieved. "I see, so it would have wasted time to work on those walls when these need it first?"

"Absolutely, Your Majesty."

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Master Steingard, I greatly appreciate it." Elsa rolled up the designs and tucked them under her arm. "I have to go but I'll check on the progress in about a week."

* * *

The Queen arrived at her chambers late into the night, having had to attend to various meetings with her advisors and dukes. After those meetings there was a large pile of correspondence on her desk that needed her immediate attention, including the progress reports from General Urban. Not only was the progress in the attic going slow, so was the positioning of Arendelle's army for its training exercises—and this was not the news she was expecting. She had expected the General to have worked out the kinks to his strategy by now.

Elsa locked the door to her parlor and leaned heavily against it, exhausted beyond measure. She unhooked her belt with the sword attached and tossed it on a nearby chair before making her way to her liquor cabinet. Elsa poured herself some brandy and then went to sit at her fireplace. She settled into her favorite over stuffed chair and briefly closed her eyes, willing her overtired muscles to relax.

She thought she heard the patter of feet on her carpet, and then two warm hands were in her hair, massaging her scalp. Elsa groaned. "Anna…"

"Shh…keep your eyes closed."

Elsa complied, and groaned again when a naked body fell into her lap. She reached out but her hands were slapped away.

"Don't touch."

Two hands attached to her wrists and guided her hands to the armrests of her chair. Elsa squirmed a bit, and her body responded to the naked form in her lap. "Anna… please, let me touch you."

The hands came back and guided the Queen's hands to two firm breasts. Elsa gasped, and she began to squeeze the breasts under her hands and pinch the nipples. She squirmed again, and tried to position her hardened flesh to find relief. Then the naked body scooted back on her legs and hands were at the clasps to her pants, fumbling with the fasteners.

"Elsa…I can't loosen…they're stuck."

The blonde's eyes snapped open and she moved her hands to the clasps and tried to release them, but they were, indeed, stuck. "Anna, get up for a second, alright?"

Anna got up and waited, but the blonde was still having problems. "Elsa, stand up."

The Queen stood and tried again, and this time she was able to release the hooks. As soon as she did this Anna pushed her back on her chair and straddled her lap.

Anna reached between their bodies and grasped Elsa's flesh, which caused the blonde's body to jerk forward, almost spilling the princess onto the floor. Elsa grunted as Anna guided her flesh to her heated center, and then she groaned when Anna adjusted her hips, allowing for Elsa to push right in.

The princess closed her eyes and mewled from the back of her throat. When she started to move she felt Elsa's hands at her hips, stopping her. Her eyes snapped open immediately and she looked down. Elsa had a strange expression on her face. "What…what is it?"

"Anna, please, I can't do this right now. There is something on my mind."

"But, I'm ready… and so are you."

Elsa groaned again, still deep within Anna, her body telling her to go on, but her mind troubled. "Please… stop."

Anna stopped all movement, and slowly got off of Elsa's lap. "I'm so sorry, Elsa."

"No, its all my fault, Anna. Its just… there is something I need to tell you. I should have told you sooner than this." Elsa stood up and refastened her pants and then turned away from Anna's nakedness.

Anna seemed to recognize Elsa's distress because she retrieved the Queen's housecoat and put it on. "My god, Elsa, what has you so grieved?"

The blonde turned around. "Anna, you… you are with child." She looked up to see Anna staring at her, a bemused look on her face.

"What? Please, don't joke about something like that."

Elsa stood firm and resolute. "I'm not joking, Anna, please believe that I would never hurt you in that way. Pabbie revealed this to me, before he died."

They just stared at each other for the longest time, neither one of them speaking, or moving; and Elsa didn't expect the slap to be so hard that it stung her cheek, but it did. When Anna slammed her door open she didn't try to stop her from leaving, but fell back into her chair.

"What have I done?"

* * *

_**The action is going to start progressing extremely fast from this point on, as we explore a few of Elsa's transformations before the great war starts. Again, please let me know how i'm doing.**_


	14. Chapter 14

The next five days went by in a blur for the Queen, as she was kept busy with the preparations for the training of her army, and the day-to-day business of running a Kingdom. She didn't see her sister at all in those days and her heart remained grieved for the loss. But what Elsa didn't know, was that Anna was miserable without her, as well. The princess was experiencing her own sorrow, but for entirely different reasons—reasons that she chose to remain in her heart, as she did not speak to anyone, not even servants, at that time. She would show up in the kitchens for meals, and then retreat back into her thoughts and bedroom after she was finished. Elsa glimpsed her once during this time, when Anna wasn't aware she was being watched, and did not try to engage her.

Elsa sat in her study working on the plans for the latest round of training drills for her army when there was a knock at her door. She looked up in expectation. "Come in."

Master Kai came into the study wheeling a cart in front of him. It had a tray with a pot of coffee on it and some pastries. He stopped at Elsa's desk, then turned back to shut the door. "You requested to see me, Your Majesty?"

The Queen poured herself a cup then placed a few pastries on plate. She sat back down. "Yes, I did, Master Kai." After taking a sip of the hot drink she indicated for Kai to sit down. "First of all, how are you, Kai?"

Kai poured himself a cup then sat opposite the Queen at her desk. "Fit as ever, Your Majesty." He took a long sip of coffee. "But as you can see, I favor the pastries a bit too much."

Elsa chuckled. "You look fine to me, Master Kai." Her smile faltered. "Have you seen the Princess?"

"I've seen her about the castle, Your Majesty. But I haven't talked to her."

Elsa nodded; Kai was being tactful, as always. "Well, Kai, I'm glad to have this time with you, as there is something on my mind."

Kai took another long drink and eyed the Queen. She was looking a bit stressed, ill at ease. "How may I ease Her Majesty's mind?"

The Queen put down her cup and sighed, not saying anything for a few seconds. Then she looked pointedly at the older man. "I am going to confide in you, Kai, news that may be hard to take at first. But once my tale ends the truth of it will be plain to see."

The Master put down his own cup, seeing the dead seriousness in his Queen. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

Elsa sat back in her chair and folded her hands in front of her. "Do you believe in the old tales, Kai?"

There was a knock at her door.

Elsa stood. "Excuse me a moment, Master Kai." She went to the door and opened it. "Yes?"

A guard stood at door, and then began to fidget. "Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty. But I was sent to inform you that a tall ship bearing the flags and standards of Weselton is heading towards Arendelle harbor."

The Queen's eyes went wide. "There is? When will it get here?"

"I wasn't given that information, Your Majesty, I'm sorry."

"Well, send someone here who knows what he's talking about, will you?" Elsa snapped before closing the door.

Kai smiled knowingly at his Queen when she sat back down. "You were a bit hard on that boy, don't you think?"

Elsa looked up and smirked at the man; he was perhaps the only person in the Kingdom that Elsa let talk to her in such a manner. "Was I?"

Kai nodded. "Pay it no mind, Your Majesty. There is something bothering you, isn't there?"

The Queen stood and began to pace in front of the fireplace. "There is, indeed, Master Kai. There is, indeed."

* * *

Anna slowly walked around Elsa's bedroom, taking note of everything there was to see. The Queen's bathroom was meticulously neat in appearance, so much unlike her own, which had towels thrown everywhere, clothes on the floor, and makeup left open on the counters. But the blonde's bathroom—towels neatly folded, bottles lined up on the shelves where they belonged—was spartan in appearance, nothing out of place. Her walk-in closet was the same. Her dresses were hung neatly by function first and then by color. Ball gowns in one corner and everyday wear in another; and then there were her new clothes hung in the very front of the closet—her father's old uniforms that she had tailored for herself. Each uniform had a matching pair of boots next to it. Anna walked out of the closet and into the bedroom. The bed was made—probably by Elsa herself and not the maids—and everything was in its place. She noticed Elsa's diary on top of her bureau, and was tempted to look inside it, but her sense of propriety was greater.

Anna was looking for answers, something to illuminate the truth for her. But so far all she learned was that her sister was obsessive over simplicity and elegance. But it was something more than just neatness; there was order in this living space—an order that spoke of the way Elsa's mind worked, which was so unlike her own. Anna went into the parlor and was struck even more by Elsa's mindset. Even the books on her bookshelves were categorized by subject; there was a precision to everything that was Elsa; and in that precision there was also openness. Elsa's personality was all over her chambers with nothing kept secret or hidden away.

Anna closed her eyes and groaned out her frustration at herself. _You have been acting like an insolent child_. She felt this keenly at the moment and knew in her heart that Elsa was attempting to reach out to her with honesty, and at the heart of that verity was love. Everything the Queen did since that stormy night not too long ago was done with love, there was no guile or subterfuge in her. That was not who she was. To put it simply, Elsa really loved her. _And how do repay that love, you idiot, but with a slap to the face_. Anna sank into Elsa's favorite chair by the fireplace and cried.

* * *

Elsa buttoned up her shirt and then turned around to face the astonished man. "As you can see, Kai, I told you the complete truth."

The Master sat, dumbfounded, and then swallowed hard. "I think I need a drink."

Elsa reached over and poured whiskey into the man's coffee. "I always find that whiskey does the trick when I need to relax."

Kat downed the beverage in one swallow then handed the cup back to the Queen for more. "No coffee this time."

The Queen filled the man's cup then added the liquor to her own coffee. "I don't suppose you have any questions?" Elsa drank half of her cup.

"Actually, I have about a million questions, but where to begin?" Kai put down his cup. "What do you need for me to do, Elsa?"

Elsa smiled weakly. "I need for you to stand ready, Kai, and prepare the castle for an invasion, if one comes. General Urban is running drills with our troops, but he thinks it's a training exercise. I'm expecting him at the castle tomorrow and I will tell him exactly what I told you, nothing barred. I can only hope he will have the same understanding as you, Kai."

"You don't think it will come to an invasion, do you, my Queen?"

"I hope not, Kai. But that depends on how well General Urban can prepare our soldiers."

"Are you going to show him your wings, Your Majesty?" Kai asked.

Elsa sat back and chuckled. "That depends on him, I suppose—if he believes me or not. He may just think that I've lost my mind."

"It crossed my mind, Your Majesty." Kai smiled at the Queen, and they both had a good laugh. "Is there anything else that I may do for you, my Queen?"

"Stay on guard, Kai, and keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. There is just no knowing exactly how the war is going to start, only that it will."

"Very well, Your Majesty. If there is nothing else."

Elsa returned to her seat, once she escorted Master Kai out of her Study, and poured herself another cup of coffee with whiskey. She drank leisurely and was very pleased with how well her conversation with Kai went. She knew he believed her, and only showed him her wings as a last confirmation; the man was no fool, not like… Elsa frowned and put down her cup …_not like Anna_. Elsa's good mood faltered at the thoughts of her sister, and she blinked back tears, willing herself not to break down. There was simply too much to do.

* * *

Elsa slowed down as she passed by Anna's room and tried to listen for any sign of her presence. But she didn't hear anything so she continued to her own chambers, intent on a change of clothes before the evening meal, as she was certain to be hosting a few nobles for the evening. Elsa paused at one of the windows in the hall, and noticed that the wind had picked up since the afternoon, and she wondered if a storm was blowing in.

The Queen opened her door and reflexively locked it behind her.

"May I speak with you?"

The blonde jumped, and hit the back of her head on the door. "Oww…"

Anna started for her but stopped when Elsa held up her hand.

Elsa leaned against the door and rubbed her head. "Anna… what are you doing here?"

If Anna was expecting a friendlier greeting she was disappointed. "Please, Elsa, I don't want to fight with you. I was hoping we could have a polite conversation."

"That's all I ever offered you, Anna. But you choose to reward my civility with derision." Elsa felt defeated, and continued to lean heavily against the door. "I don't have the energy anymore."

"For me?"

"In a sense," Elsa stated matter-of-factly. "I don't have the wherewithal to go through any more drama with you, Anna. It takes too much energy out of me; and I need all my energy focused on the war ahead. Do you understand?"

"Perhaps I could help you?"

"But Anna—you slapped me, when I was vulnerable! How do you expect me to react to that?" Elsa could feel the tears again.

"You have no idea how upset I am over that. I know what I did, and I am so, so sorry for it." Anna took a tentative step forward, but Elsa recoiled slightly.

"You have said 'I'm sorry' before! Only to come back to me with a another slap to the face, so to speak."

"What can I say then? These are the only words I know!"

Elsa groaned and closed her eyes. "Look, Anna, I've got the weight of the world on my shoulders, I really do, and I don't need any more difficulties!"

"Is this all that I am, a problem to you?" She tried again to take another step forward.

"Please don't come any closer, Anna." Elsa stopped leaning against the door and stood up. "Now, if you please, I must change for _my_ dinner guests."

"Don't you mean _our_ dinner guests?" Anna was devastated by the slight.

Elsa started for her bedroom. "Please, Anna, don't make this any more difficult than it already is." She made it to her closet, and was startled that Anna had followed her.

"Please don't shut me out, Elsa, it hurts too much," Anna pleaded, a desperation flowing over her like none other.

Elsa took off her jacket and hung it up, and didn't turn to face her sister. "What do you think the past five days has been like for me?" She knew if she looked over her shoulder at Anna she would be lost.

"Do you want me to go?" Anna's voice was tiny, pathetic.

It was too much for Elsa; she turned around. "Of course I really don't want you to go!" She grabbed Anna and shoved her against the closet wall. "But I don't know what else to do right now, Anna, other than to shut you out and take care of business." Her expression softened when Anna began to cry. "I really wish that you could be a help to me now, and be present _for me_, just as I have been here for you."

"I want to help you, Elsa!" Anna sobbed. "I know how idiotic I have been acting—and selfish! I've thought only of myself and not you. But I'm determined to change this, Elsa, I truly am. I mean, my god, I don't know how to go on without you." She broke down completely.

Elsa tentatively reached out, and touched Anna's cheek. "Please don't cry like that. My heart can't take it." She reached out with her other hand and gently brought Anna over to her, and cradled her in her arms. "Come on, snowflake, everything will be alright, I promise."

But Anna only cried harder, such was her grief and sorrow. "Elsa, I'm sorry, oh so sorry…"

"I know." Elsa leaned her forehead against Anna's, and finally allowed her tears to fall. "I need reassurances from you, Anna—I need to know that I have a partner in all this mess, that you will be here to support me in the things I must do."

Anna lifted her head and nodded. "I promise to do all that and more." She reached into Elsa's pocket and retrieved a handkerchief. "Please don't abandon me now, I need you, more than ever…"

Elsa raised her hands and gently took Anna's face in her hands. "Anna, we are going to be parents," she whispered.

Anna nodded, and briefly touched her belly, as if in confirmation. "And it scares me, Elsa. I'm so sorry if my fear hurts you."

Elsa nodded. "I'm afraid, too. Your fear doesn't hurt me—only your irrationality."

"I have been an idiot, haven't I?"

"You have been many things, Anna, and yes, an idiot is one of them. But can we move on, now? I have no more desire to go over your many faults."

Anna cleared her throat and finished wiping away her tears. "Certainly."

Elsa started to unbutton her shirt. "I… um… want to change before dinner."

"Do you mind if I come with you… I mean, to dinner."

The Queen was a little taken aback in her vulnerability, and nodded. "Only if you want to, Anna. I don't want you coming to dinner just for me."

Anna stood back and thought about it, did she really think she could handle guests tonight, and make small talk when all she wanted to do fall into Elsa's arm? "Maybe I ought not to go, then. I don't think I'd be very good company."

Elsa smiled and stroked Anna's cheek. "You see how easy that was—making a good decision?"

"Something I promise to do more often, I swear it." Anna turned to go. "Will I see you later?"

Elsa paused, did she really want to spend time with Anna after her guests, or did she want to go directly to bed, and hopefully get a good night's sleep? "I think I'd prefer to sleep right away after dinner, Anna, if you don't mind."

Anna tried to hide her disappointment, but failed. "If you need me, I'll be in my room."

"Okay. Good night, Anna."

* * *

Elsa awoke, as per her usual habit, just as the sun peaked over the eastern mountains, almost at dawn. The first thing she noticed was that Anna had entered into her bed sometime during the night and was sleeping soundly, her arm wrapped over her waist. Elsa closed her eyes, savoring the contact, and was secretly glad for the intrusion, even though she would have to talk to Anna about privacy at breakfast. Elsa turned Anna over on her side and cuddled behind her, wrapping her arm around her waist. _I do love you, snowflake…_

Elsa could feel tears prick at her eyes, and scooted closer to Anna. _Do you really love me, too?_ A part of her wanted to believe it, without question. But her hurt over the last couple of days caused her to harbor a small amount to doubt. Elsa turned over onto her back and rubbed her eyes, feeling torn, and she certainly didn't want to be. Anna was pregnant, and she needed to do anything and everything to make sure she remained safe, even from herself, if need be. She realized she was going to be Jörmungandr, but she had no inkling of what that looked like. Would she resemble herself as she was now, or was she going to go through even more physical changes, perhaps to the point where she didn't look like herself anymore? Would she lose who she was to be this avenging angel? Would her people support their defender, or would they try to crush—a monster.

Anna could feel Elsa's anguish, and turned around in her arms. "What is it, Elsa? Oh, I'm sorry—I'll go if you don't want me here."

"No! Don't leave…" Elsa turned Anna back around, and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. "I'm scared, Anna. I'm afraid of losing myself to this creature I must become. I don't know how to do it alone…"

"You won't be alone, Elsa. I am here."

Elsa couldn't fault Anna for not really understanding her dilemma. She had no frame of reference to go by, no one did, truth be told. The only person that could possibly have really understood was dead—and Elsa was angry with him for exiting this world in favor of another. "Anna, please, don't go, I need you."

Anna tried to turn around again but Elsa's strong arms stopped her. "What…is wrong…?"

Elsa pressed her lips to Anna's neck and inhaled deeply the perfect scent that was Anna. It was calming for her soul, a balm, and it almost hurt to hold her as she was, so deep was her feeling for the younger woman. "I love you more than ever."

Anna's breath hitched, and she reached back to touch Elsa's cheek. "You do?"

"Yes…" Elsa ran her lips to Anna's ear, and she tentatively touched it with the tip of her tongue. She whimpered as her body responded to the contact. "I need you, Anna… please?"

Anna closed her eyes, and clutched at Elsa's arms around her. "Like…this?"

"Yes, please?" Elsa was completely undone by her lust for Anna, and this was another thing that worried her. But at moments like this it was so easy to ignore her trepidations, and give herself over to desire. She hiked up Anna's nightdress while quietly panting in her ear. "Oh, god…"

Anna didn't know what to do with her hands, so she grabbed the blankets and held on tightly as Elsa easily entered her from behind. She grunted as Elsa moved in and out of her.

Elsa wanted more, something more, and she pushed Anna onto her stomach. "Ah…yes…" She crawled onto Anna's back and thrust into her again. After a short while her hunger grew, and she grabbed onto Anna's hips and pulled her up until she was resting on her hands and knees. "Good god…" Elsa's head fell onto Anna's back and she squeezed her eyes shut.

The princess gasped and grunted, startled by the amount of pleasure this new position afforded her, and clutched at the blankets below. "Elsa…"

At that moment there was no past or future, no tenderness or anger, only the present moment of lust and carnal desire. It was a moment that they both fell into without remorse or regret, because they needed it.

* * *

Elsa looked up at the ceiling, absentmindedly running her hand over Anna's back, who was pressed into her side. "Anna, what are you feeling?"

The princess sighed, "I'm feeling very sore."

The blonde cleared her throat and blushed. "No, not about that. I mean—well, how do you feel towards me?"

Anna lifted head to look Elsa in the eyes. "I love you, Elsa. What kind of question is that?"

"We have a—decision to make, and I'm loath to do it on my own." She turned her head and looked up again. "Someone needs to know you are pregnant, someone that we both trust with our lives."

Anna blew out a ragged breath "Oh, god, Elsa—I mean, what do we tell?"

Elsa turned on her side to face her sister. "What would you like to say? How are we going to explain your pregnancy?"

Anna's eyes went wide. "Do we have to say anything about—the father?"

It was a strange thing to hear, Elsa admitted, but there was also a certain feeling of… "People will talk, Anna. I'm worried about your ability to take criticism because of your condition."

"My condition? Well, when you put it that way it doesn't sound so good. We can tell people it's none of their business, that's what." Anna worried for a moment. "I mean, do you feel the same way?"

Elsa offered her sister a weak smile. "Yes, I do. If you are sure you can handle the gossip that will arise, then I will support you on this." She leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on Anna's lips. "Anna, I told Master Kai about the Fimbulvetr."

"All of it?"

"I did not tell him about this; I didn't want to do it without your knowledge beforehand." Elsa reached up and caressed Anna's cheek. "I was thinking we could confide in him and Gerda. We would tell them that you are pregnant, but offer no other explanations, and secure their loyalty to you and the baby. _You_ will need their help when the war starts."

"Don't you mean, _we_ will need their help?"

"Anna, I don't know if I'll be in Arendelle when this war begins. I might be Jörmungandr when it starts, and I'll be fighting with our soldiers—at least, this is what I think will happen. The problem is that I don't really know, only Pabbie knew, and he took this knowledge to his grave."

"Oh my, Elsa, really?" Anna frowned and clutched Elsa's hands in hers. "What can we do?"

"I don't know if _we_ can do anything, Anna. I must somehow figure out what he knew, though I doubt Hølje will be much help. I don't have a lot of confidence in him. I'm hoping Kristoff might learn something useful as he explores Yggdrasil and the myths."

"Kristoff is at the great white tree?"

"Yes, and I hope to hear from him soon." Elsa noticed the strange look on Anna's face. "Anna, what is it?"

"Elsa, do you think we can confide in Kristoff?"

The blonde shook her head. "Do you really think that's s good idea, Anna?" Elsa then realized that Anna may not know about the mountain man's feelings. "He's in love with you."

"But, he told me he wasn't…" Anna's voice trailed off.

Elsa placed a finger on Anna's lips. "Please, Anna, the man confided in me about—everything."

Anna looked away. "I guess I've always known. But I haven't always wanted to believe it." She turned back to Elsa. "But I'm more worried about what you just said about the Fimbulvetr, and fighting in the war. Are you certain about the fighting part?"

"That's the question, Anna, that I want the answer to as much as you do." The blonde brought her hands up to cup Anna's face. "I am worried that I won't be able to protect you; I worry about exactly when this war will start—I need to know these things so I can plan accordingly. There are too many variables for me to try to wrap my mind around." She placed a gentle kiss on Anna's lips. "This is why I was so upset with you, Anna—when you, acted irrationally. You struck me with more than just your hand."

Anna sighed, mortified once again at her behavior. "Elsa, please forgive my—I don't even know what to call it—stupidity, childishness. Do you forgive me?"

Elsa kissed Anna again. "I must be the biggest fool because I do." Elsa snuggled into her bedding and wrapped her arms around Anna. "I'm a fool—a fool in love, I think."

Anna opened her eyes and saw Elsa's pained expression, and felt her words very keenly. They were, in a sense, startling to hear, and she realized that Elsa may not have fully understood what she had just said. But Anna understood, with a seriousness she never fathomed before, because life had never in the past been this staid or friable.

* * *

_This chapter was Elsa/Anna centric because they needed to grapple, and come to terms with, their relationship, however flawed it might be…the next chapter, Elsa's second transformation…**Also, I may take a few days for myself to recharge the batteries, so to speak. I just realized that I've cranked out nearly 60,000 words since July 20th and I'm a little tired, and school begins again after Labor day. So, don't panic, I'll be back as soon as I can. Thanks again for all the reviews and support.**_


	15. Chapter 15

Elsa stood in the north attic and looked about at the nearly completed renovations. The large room was a bit imposing with the huge iron bars bolted into the walls, and she wondered if they would indeed hold a dragon. Only the north wall itself was incomplete, and a few ironworkers were now busy laboring at it. Elsa turned around and noticed Master Steingard standing at the door. She waved him over to her.

"Good afternoon, Master Steingard." Elsa smiled at her favourite architect, and grasped his hand. "I want to thank you for the promptness with which you attended to this project."

The older man blushed a little. "No need to thank me, Your Majesty. It was my pleasure to work on one of Her Majesty's designs."

"It will work, won't it? I mean, the storms ought not to be a bother."

Steingard nodded. "They should be no trouble at all. Would you like me to have the furniture brought back up, Your Majesty?"

"No, I think we'll keep it in the cellars for now. But thank you anyway, Master Steingard."

"I was thinking, Your Majesty, if you would like to participate in future design projects?"

"Really? You would like me to help you?" Elsa was excited by the proposition.

"Not as help, Your Majesty, but as in lead architect. This design is really perfect, and I'm very impressed with your abilities. Was it the late king who influenced your love of architecture?"

"Yes, it was one of the things I did to help me relax." Elsa smiled at the memories. "Yes, I'd like to. It would surely be better than all those meetings I attend to."

Steingard bowed. "If you will excuse me, Your Majesty."

Elsa looked up as the man walked away and noticed Anna standing in the door. She smiled and walked over to her. "Come in, I want to show you the progress we've made." She took Anna's hand but the princess didn't budge. "What is it?"

The princess had a strange look on her face. She squeezed Elsa's hand and looked at her shyly. "I…um…can you come with me?"

Elsa nodded and followed Anna out of the room. She led them down to another part of the attic, to a section that once housed servant's quarters, and opened a door to a darkened room. Once they were inside she pounced on Elsa and crashed their lips together. Elsa groaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around Anna's waist.

The Queen broke from the kiss and cleared her throat. "Whoa, Anna, slow down…"

Anna used the opportunity to nibble at Elsa's neck. "I missed you this morning. Where did you go?"

"We have a surprise visitor from Weselton." The Queen grabbed her sister and turned them towards a wall. "Magnus's sister has decided to call upon us."

Anna nodded, although she was hardly paying attention. "Uh huh… Elsa, my skirt."

"Oh, yes, of course." Elsa grabbed at Anna's skirt and began to hike it up. "Ah, do you want to know why she's here?"

The princess nodded again and gasped. "Yeah, sure."

The Queen pressed up against Anna and reached between them to unclasp her trousers. They fell to her knees. Her hands shook as she lifted Anna up to straddle her waist and she groaned when Anna wrapped her legs around her. "Well, she… she… oh, god, Anna…"

Anna desperately clutched at Elsa's back, her breath ragged, and her lust at its peak. "Please…" She gasped as Elsa entered her and she squeezed her legs, her heels digging into the Queen's backside. Anna bucked against the Queen so vigorously that Elsa staggered back from the wall and almost fell, but she used her improved strength to keep them tightly bound together.

Elsa supported them by placing one hand on the wall, and the other around Anna's waist as they undulated together; their bodies writhed as one, and moans and gasps were the only language spoken.

* * *

Anna opened her watering eyes, feeling well sated, and shyly looked down on Elsa, who had an arm flung over her eyes, and was panting. Her heart melted at the sight, and she wiped at her eyes. "Please look at me."

Elsa let her arm fall to the floor, and looked at Anna through half-lidded eyes. "How long?"

Anna quivered, her body still on edge, and her feelings soaring. "All morning, Elsa. You've been—on my mind."

The Queen shuddered, her flesh still deep in the princess straddling her lap. "I certainly hope the construction workers didn't hear."

Anna bit her lip and drew in a deep breath. "I don't care. I love what we do together, Elsa. You make me feel so damn good."

"I do?" Elsa shook her head, and willed herself to calm. "I love it, too." She could still feel a warming tingling in her spine and limbs. "Anna…"

Anna gasped; Elsa was squirming underneath her, and her flesh was hardening again. "Oh, good gracious… more, Elsa?" Her breath hitched, and she rocked her hips back and forth. When Elsa attempted to turn them over she stopped her. "No—like this. Let me work you for a change."

Elsa could only nod, incoherent in her pleasure.

* * *

The Countess paced nervously back and forth in the guest chambers of Arendelle castle, a valet and Lady in Waiting right beside her. She thought it a bit rude of the Queen to keep her waiting, as she conveyed to her Lady in Waiting again and again. Finally, in the late afternoon, there was a knock on her door. The valet opened the door to the Queen and Princess of Arendelle.

The Lady in Waiting and the Valet both bowed; and at first, the Countess openly smiled at the Queen, and then she gave her a questioning look at the uniform. "Preparing for war, Queen Elsa?"

Elsa offered the Countess a terse smile. "I might ask the same of you, Countess Aida, as we both know Weselton finds itself doing the same."

"You don't really think I'm part of Magnus' schemes, do you, Elsa?"

The Queen bristled slightly at the use of her given name, especially in front of servants. "Aida—what are you doing here?"

Anna was surprised at Elsa's familiarity, and she looked at the Countess with open hostility. The Countess noticed this and purposely avoided addressing her.

Aida closed the distance between herself and Elsa and held open her arms. "I come as a friend, Elsa."

Elsa accepted the embrace, but Aida held on a little too long for propriety's sake. "Countess Aida, welcome to Arendelle." She disengaged herself from the other woman's arms, and was a little taken aback by the other's boldness. "We have other duties to attend to before dinner, but I trust you'll be in attendance?"

"Of course, Elsa."

"Countess?" Elsa looked expectantly at the other woman, and cleared her throat when she took her time responding. "Do you not see Princess Anna? I expect you to show deference to her as per her station."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Aida curtsied to the princess. "Your Highness."

Anna nodded back. "Countess."

Elsa extended her arm. "Princess?"

Anna took Elsa's arm and looked pointedly at the Countess. "Until later, Countess."

* * *

As soon as they were out in hallway Anna fumed. "What was that all about, Elsa?"

The Queen patted the hand that was on her arm. "That was the Countess Weselton being her normal manipulative self. We formally met at Arendelle's first Ball, about a year ago. At the time I found her to be a bit of a flirt, but not just with me."

"I don't recall meeting her then."

Elsa glanced at Anna. "That's because you were kind of—busy with Kristoff, Anna. You two hardly took your eyes off each other."

The princess cleared her throat. "Now that you remind me, yes, I seem to remember." She noticed that Elsa was leading them to another door on the guest level of the castle. "Where are we going?"

Elsa opened the door and stepped aside so Anna could enter first. Then, once she was inside, she froze the handle shut. It was a bedroom.

Anna glanced at the bed and looked at Elsa. "I take it you don't have any meetings this late afternoon?"

Elsa froze the door handle again. "Actually, I'm so busy I don't have time for anything else." She removed her officer's coat and threw it on a chair.

Anna smirked and then fanned herself. "It seems like I, too, have a full schedule." She unhooked her skirt and let it puddle around her feet, and then she stepped out of her shoes.

The Queen finished unbuttoning her shirt and, it, too, went onto the chair. "Yes, I'm sure you do. My God, Anna, all you ever do is work."

The princess helped Elsa out of her boots, and then she unclasped her trousers. "You know what they say, my Queen, that a Princess's work is never done?"

Elsa guided Anna over to the bed and helped her to lie down. "We work entirely too hard, I think."

Anna thought about it, and then gasped as Elsa lowered onto her and entered her quickly. She wrapped an arm around Elsa's shoulders. "You work too hard…oh, god, you're so hard…"

* * *

"How could you let it happen?" Magnus picked up his glass and threw it against the wall. "When did she leave?"

The Ninth Duke of Weselton was sitting with his advisors in the realms' Council Chambers. He was sitting with his generals and admirals, planning the war against Arendelle, and at the moment was livid. He rose and turned around to stare into the fireplace.

General Voljor cleared his throat, and spoke up. "No one was told not to let the Countess take out her personal vessel, my Liege."

"And just where do you think she's heading, General?" Magnus slammed his hand against the hearth. "She's going to Arendelle!"

Admiral Stinus stood, and went over to the Duke. "Perhaps you should sit back down, my Liege," he whispered.

Magnus whirled on the man, his breath clearly spoke of alcohol. "I'll sit if I want to!" He glanced at his other advisors, and their pensive looks, and then acquiesced. "Alright." The Duke sat back down. "Stinus, get me another drink."

Another admiral spoke. "We did, indeed, decide to follow the Countess' ship, and you are correct, my Lord, her course suggests passage to Arendelle."

Magnus took the drink Stinus gave him and set it down. "I want someone to sail immediately and bring her back, I don't care if you have to sail with our Flagship or the whole goddamn fleet, I want her back now!"

Stinus sat back down, his look surprised. "Suppose she requests asylum in Arendelle?"

The Duke glared at his underling, and seethed. "She wouldn't dare… who's going to fulfill His Lord's wishes?"

His generals and admirals looked at each other. Finally, it was Stinus who spoke up. "I will go, immediately, my Lord." He stood and bowed. As he reached the conference room doors he turned around. "I would like to take a contingent of elite Guards with me, if my Lord doesn't mind?"

"I don't mind at all." Magnus downed his drink. "I don't care about the others. Dispose of them as you wish, but I want my sister back here alive. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, my Liege."

* * *

Roman opened the doors to the Throne Room and peered inside. He noticed Hans and their father at the opposite end of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"I hope I'm not disturbing anyone."

King Edvardt looked up and then beamed. "Roman! Come here, my wayward son!"

Hans frowned as the twelfth oldest son and father embraced. He looked at the documents in his hands before choosing to speak. "Where have you been?"

Roman's smile faltered. "What is this, the Inquisition? For your information, brother, I've been busy in France, doing a little bit of business, haven't I, father?"

Edvardt moved to sit on his Throne and motioned for Roman to sit next to him, on the Queens' Throne. "Come here and tell me all about it?" Hans stiffened at the move, but wasn't surprised by his father's special affection for him. He was the only son so far as to grace his parents with grandsons. All his other brothers who had children had been favored with girls.

Roman took the seat and motioned for a nearby page. "Fetch me an aperitif, will you?"

The page nodded and left the Throne Room. Roman turned to his father. "You will be happy to know that I've brought back certainties from the Dauphin, himself. If we do find ourselves at a disadvantage in our war against Arendelle the Dauphin will send his personal forces to assist us."

The King blew out a startled breath. "Well done Roman, well done. How did you manage such a feat?"

Roman accepted the glass the page offered him. "Thank you. You know me well enough that I'll never reveal my methods."

Hans stepped forward. "I'm in charge of this war, and I would love to know your methods."

Roman looked at his brother. "Later, brother, later. Shall we not celebrate my good news?"

Edvardt reached over and clapped him on the back. "Indeed."

Hans continued to eye Roman, and he tilted his head somewhat. Something just wasn't right. "You'll be interested to know that Ingleif has been arrested."

For the briefest moment, a flare of doubt flashed over Roman's face, but it was gone quickly. "What has that bore done now? Did he burp in your face, Hans? Or did he knock up one of his whores?"

Hans was furious. "You indignant—"

Edvardt threw up his hand. "That's enough, Hans! Roman has done right by me, and tonight we celebrate."

Hans continued to eye Roman warily, his intuition telling him that something just wasn't right…

* * *

Elsa sat at her desk in her private Study and went through her correspondence. She was looking for some news from Zander, but there were no letters from him, nor from Lieutenant Ingarth, who Zander had chosen to take with him to the Southern Isles. Elsa sat back and balanced a cup of tea in her hand. It wasn't like Zander to take this long to communicate with her, and she wondered if the man had been captured. She had a lot of faith in the man, but he was only human, and was trotting a dangerous road. After sighing, she picked up an expense report from her ambassador in Weselton and began to read it; a knock on her door aggravated her.

"Come in."

A page opened the door slightly and peered inside. "Your Majesty, the Countess of Weselton wishes to see you."

Elsa blew out a frustrated breath. "Not now, please tell her—"

The Countess flew past the page and curtsied to the Queen with an exaggerated flourish. "Come now, Elsa, we must have a talk before dinner."

The Queen set down her cup and waved away the page. "Countess—Aida—I would appreciate it if you treated me with the respect I'm due. You will address me as Queen Elsa or Your Majesty."

Aida sauntered over to the desk and sat down on it. "Really, Queen Elsa, after all we shared together?"

"I seem to recall you kissing me, as well as other members of my court." Elsa reached out to the small table next to her desk and retrieved her bottle of whiskey. She poured a generous portion into her tea. "Will you please get off my desk." Elsa could smell the Countess' perfume, and it unsettled her.

The Countess could feel the Queen's eyes on her. "Come now, Queen Elsa—"

Both were startled by the open door; Princess Anna stood on the threshold. "Elsa, I was…" She stopped talking as she noticed the Countess on Elsa's desk. Her eyes went wide and an intense flare of jealousy hit her.

Elsa froze as the Countess slowly removed herself from her desk. She smiled at Anna as she walked past her. "Until later, Your Majesty. Princess."

Anna quietly shut the door and took in a deep breath. "That woman can't stay here, Elsa."

Elsa was ridged, seething in anger, and something else. "I think you're right, Anna. I shall have her removed from the castle immediately. She can lodge in the city for all I care."

Anna walked over to Elsa, and the Queen tried to hide herself, but Anna saw. "What—oh, god, Elsa, no…"

Elsa looked up, her eyes full of sorrow. "I'm sorry, Anna, I didn't think this would happen."

Anna's jealousy withered away at the look in her sister's eyes, and she knew that Elsa wasn't guilty of anything intentional. Anna took the place that the Countess had vacated. "Do not grieve yourself so." Her heart melted at the unshed tears in Elsa's eyes. "Oh, please, Elsa, there is no reason to cry. You haven't done anything wrong." She pulled the Queen closer to her and Elsa wrapped her arms around her waist and buried her face in her chest.

The touch was comforting, not arousing, and Elsa could feel herself calm down. "Thank you, Anna."

The princess smiled and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on Elsa's head. She reached up and touched one of the horns. "Have they stopped growing?"

"I don't know. Have they?"

"Well, your hair still covers them, so I don't think they've grown since our return from the Valley of the Living Rock."

Elsa looked up. "What could that mean?"

"I don't know. But it must be a good sign, don't you think?"

The Queen scooted herself back and then pulled Anna down for a proper kiss. Their lips touched, and Elsa tentatively reached out with her tongue, begging for entrance. She felt Anna's nodding, and she smiled into the kiss as their tongues danced. When they broke apart there was joy in their eyes.

Elsa offered Anna her sweetest smile. "I love you, snowflake."

Anna reached out and cupped Elsa's cheeks. "You know I love you, don't you, Elsa?"

The Queen nodded. "I know." Elsa got up and smoothed down her trousers. "I believe we won't be attending tonight's formal dinner. What do you say to eating in the kitchen and then having an early night to ourselves?"

"What of the Countess, won't she come looking for you?"

"If I know her then the last place she would look for me would be where the servants gather. She is a snob."

"But won't General Urban be there, don't you need to talk to him?" Anna tried to be the voice of reason.

Elsa frowned. "I actually do. Hmmm… what do I do?"

"How long will General Urban be in Arendelle?"

"He's scheduled to leave tomorrow morning. Why?" Elsa took a long sip of her tea.

"Perhaps you could have an early morning breakfast meeting with him. Would that work out?"

Elsa downed her entire cup of tea and then stood. "A brilliant idea, Anna." She gathered the younger woman into her arms. "What would I do without you?"

Anna leaned into the embrace. "I feel the same way. What would I do without me, either." She giggled when Elsa slapped her rear.

* * *

Elsa awoke alone for the first time in a long while and immediately missed her sister's comforting presence. She sighed and turned over onto her side, unwilling to get out of bed on such a chilly morning. A quick glance outside her window confirmed that it was going to be a stormy day, perhaps cold enough to snow or a least sleet. Elsa realized she was exhausted from her previous days activities, especially her run in with the Countess. After sighing again, her eyes closed, perhaps a few more minutes and then she would get up.

A few hours later she woke up. She immediately knew that one of the servants had been in her room as there were fresh towels at the foot of her bed. Elsa glanced at her clock and then shot up in bed. _Oh, no…my meeting with Urban_… After dressing quickly in a simple pair of trousers and button down shirt she opened her parlor door and almost ran into Master Kai, who had just raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Master Kai, if you'll excuse me I have to—"

Kai nodded. "Attend to General Urban? I'm sorry to be the bringer of bad news, Your Majesty, but the gentleman had to leave to attend to the troop exercises. He expressed his regrets on not being able to wait any longer."

"Damn—I really needed to speak to him." Elsa turned away from Kai and waved him away, going over to her liquor cabinet. She poured herself a shot of whiskey and downed it in one gulp. After a few minutes there was a knock on her door.

"Come!"

Anna tentatively peeked her head inside. "Here you are… how did your meeting with General go?"

"It didn't." Elsa poured another shot and downed it. "Anna, I overslept and missed the meeting." She started to pour another but then changed her mind. "Where were you this morning?"

The rain started falling.

"I didn't disturb you this morning because I knew you had that meeting. I didn't want to be a distraction."

Elsa paused, as she didn't want to take her anger out on Anna. "I'm sorry for sounding so gruff." She started to pour another shot when Anna came over to her and put her hands over the bottle.

"Don't you think it's a bit early for this?"

The Queen let out a frustrated breath and put the bottle back. "I'm sorry, I'm just very disappointed in myself right now. I woke up on time for my meeting but I was so tired that I thought I might take a few minutes longer, and then…now look at the time." She slammed the bottle back into the cabinet.

Anna stepped back a bit. "Perhaps I'll see you later."

Elsa looked up and then grabbed Anna and hugged her tightly. She rested her cheek on her head. "No, I'm sorry. I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." She inhaled Anna's sweetness and a goofy grin graced her features. "Would you like to go with me to the kitchens and scrounge up some breakfast?"

Anna beamed. "Or, I could make you something to eat?"

"Let me get my boots on."

They made their way down the great spiral staircase to the first floor of Arendelle castle, and walked towards the kitchens.

"So, how did the Countess take to being kicked out of the castle?"

Elsa grinned. "Let's just say she didn't like it very much. I'm relieved she's gone, to be honest."

Anna briefly glanced at blonde. "Do you like her, Elsa?"

Elsa slowed her pace and looked down at the younger woman. "She—flattered me at the Ball, and I will admit I liked it. But then she tried to seduce my entire court and my moment of weakness was over."

Anna didn't appear to be convinced. "But what about last night?"

The Queen stopped and looked around them at the servants going to and fro. "Come with me." She led Anna to an antechamber just off the main hallway—a small room that served as a waiting room for guests—and made sure no one was looking as she pulled Anna inside. She locked the door. "Anna, I don't want the Countess."

The princess breathed in deeply and leaned against a nearby couch. "I'm sorry, Elsa, but you were clearly aroused, weren't you?"

"Would you believe me if I said that it was only a physical reaction to her incredible perfume?"

"Elsa, please, I'm no ingénue. I saw the look in your eyes."

Elsa walked over to Anna. "Anna, I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. Yes, my body responded to her perfume—to her nearness to me. But I don't really want her, only you."

"Oh, I'm being a silly fool again, aren't I?"

The blonde smiled. "Perhaps a bit."

They both heard an outlying thunder and were startled into reality. Anna quickly glanced at Elsa. "A storm—how close are we to the full moon?"

Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna. "Less than a week, I believe."

They just stood there, arms wrapped around the other, and listened to a few claps of thunder off in the distance. Anna could feel a small amount of fear in Elsa, and she hugged her tighter. Their eyes met, and a lifetime's worth of love passed between them, as the future seemed uncertain and cloudy. Elsa reeled with the incoming storm, and could feel her connectedness to it. It seeped into her bones, until she let out a small whimper.

Anna hugged her even closer. "What can I do? Please, Elsa, tell me. What can I do to help?"

The blonde closed her eyes and let herself be comforted. "You—being here, like this. It is more than I could wish for." Elsa ran her hands slowly over Anna's back, drinking in the bitter sweetness of her touch.

Anna did the same for Elsa, and soothed down her twitching wings with the gentlest of touches. She let out a cleansing breath and turned her head so that her lips brushed over Elsa's neck.

Elsa closed her eyes and lowered her hands to Anna's bottom, and then quite suddenly, picked her up. Anna instinctively wrapped her legs around Elsa's waist, and whimpered. But Elsa didn't make a move to do anything else, and held onto Anna tightly. But Anna moved, and began to rub herself against Elsa, who was still just standing still, her knees slightly bent.

The Queen's breath hitched in her throat. "Anna, this is arousing. This is only for you, please remember," she whispered. She held on tighter and slowly walked around the couch to the other side, and lowered them both until Anna was on her back. She reached for Anna's hand and guided it to her trousers' clasp. "Do you feel what you do to me?"

Anna was practically panting as her hand fell on swollen flesh. She undid the clasp, and pulled. "I need you inside me, now."

Elsa whimpered, and pulled up Anna's skirts, but then she hesitated. "Anna…"

"Oh, please, Elsa now."

The blonde pushed in and mewled at Anna's slick warmth. "This is only for you, Anna…ah…" She withdrew and then thrust easily back in. "No else will have me." Another thrust. "Ever."

* * *

Outside the storm picked up and the winds began to swirl around the castle. The workmen in the north attic picked up their pace, suddenly feeling the need to finish their project as soon as they could.

* * *

Time has no meaning in the Valley of the Living Rock, but it was three days after the workman finished their project.

Kristoff looked up from Yggdrasil just Hølje came into view. The shaman looked worried and this alarmed the blonde man. "What's wrong?"

The young troll pointed to the east. "The storms are brewing again in the east and a mighty wind pounds down on the small kingdom of Arendelle."

"But—the full moon hasn't risen."

"It will in one day." Hølje shook his head dolefully. "I am a novice, Kristoff, I hardly know what to do in this matter!" He kicked at a stone and it hit the great white tree.

Yggdrasil hummed, and Ratatoskr meandered down its branches. "What message, o infantile one?"

Kristoff shook his head. "None for now, emissary. We—touched Yggdrasil by mistake"

The great insulting messenger squirrel hissed, and its ears flattened. "Do not waste my time!" It was gone as quickly as it came.

"Don't do that again, Hølje! I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out, and the last thing we need to make enemies here!"

The younger troll recoiled slightly, but understood Kristoff's concerns. "I understand, it won't happen again."

Kristoff looked to the east, and his heart faltered a bit. "Is…is Anna safe?"

"She has Jörmungandr and we have Yggdrasil. Everything is unfolding as it should."

"Then why am I feeling a sense of dread? Is Anna in danger?"

Hølje hesitated, but spoke the truth. "She has the dragon, Kristoff."

Kristoff went white with fear. "Anna…"

* * *

The Countess closed the window to the carriage to keep out the rain, and seethed in anger at Queen Elsa for shutting her out of the castle. She had spent the last two days in the drafty Weselton embassy and was eager to be away from it. So she instructed her driver to take her to the castle, as she was determined to find Elsa and demand answers from her. The wind and rain pelted her carriage and threatened to topple it over, yet the Countess was relentless.

* * *

Anna and Elsa walked up the remaining stairs to the north attic, each lost in her own thoughts at the coming midnight. They stopped at the door and Elsa opened it, she stepped inside and look about at the iron bars on the walls and windows. She shuddered and quickly grabbed at Anna's hand. "I'm frightened, Anna."

The princess held on tightly. "So am I."

Their eyes locked, and Elsa pulled Anna to her in a final hug. "If I don't make it through this night I want you to know I don't regret anything that has happened between us. I love you, Anna, and our unborn child. Please tell our child how much I did love—"

Anna burst into tears. "Now stop that! Why are you talking like I'll never see you again?"

Elsa felt her own tears flow. "Because I don't know. My god, Anna, look at what happened the last time this happened." She tried to disengage her arms from Anna but the Princess held on. "Please, Anna, you have to go now."

But the princess was in near panic. "I can't just leave you, Elsa!"

"You have to let me go. Please, Anna."

Anna finally dropped her arms as a loud crash of thunder peeled across the horizon, and the rain and winds pelted at the castle. The light of the day was gone, and the only light outside came from the occasional flashes of lightening.

Anna reached up and grabbed Elsa's head and brought her lips down onto her own. They kissed passionately until a flash of lightening shone through the windows.

Elsa broke from the kiss first. "Good bye, Anna. Wait for the clock to strike midnight, and then…" Her voice trailed off.

"I love you, Elsa." Anna turned to go with a great reluctance, but did it anyway. She looked at the door before opening it and stepping outside to the stairway. After locking the door she put one foot in front of other in a vain attempt to stop her aching heart, but it was to no avail. She turned abruptly, thinking to rush back to Elsa, but then realized it would probably anger her if she did. Anna turned back to the stairs walked down to the first floor of the castle.

* * *

Elsa stripped herself of her clothes and carefully folded them before placing them on the floor beside her. She stretched her wings out to their full length and breathed in deeply, in an attempt to clear her mind of everything useless to her at this point. She looked down on her feet and realized the scales were more pronounced than they were in the morning, and that the top of her head hurt, where her horns were. She reached up and when she drew her hand back there was blood on it. Instead of sickening her, the presence of blood had the opposite effect, it made her growl deep in her throat. She licked her hand clean of the blood as another flash of lightening flickered through the window. The subsequent peel of thunder caused her wings to flutter and a strange sensation to course up her spine.

Elsa stood up; it was almost time.

* * *

Anna sat with Master Kai in the large parlor on the first floor of the castle and had to fight with an uneasy feeling. There was something… not right. There was something that she saw that didn't make any sense to her, but she couldn't quite place it.

Kai looked at the princess expectantly. "Are you alright, Your Highness?" He looked at the clock and it indicated they still had ten minutes to wait. "I know this must be difficult."

The winds whipped up outside and the rains came in sheets, hitting at the castle from all directions. The worst of the storm was coming, and was practically upon them as the lightening and thunder was relentless.

Anna put down her glass of sherry and stared into the fireplace. "This may sound strange, Kai, but I have this nagging feeling."

"About the Queen's transformation? We know she's securely locked in the attic and I doubt she'll be able to escape those irons bars."

"I know, Kai, I locked the door myself." Anna was about to say something else but her sense of foreboding wouldn't go away. _I locked the door, and made sure it was secure_… "Yes, I locked the door…" _The door_…

They were interrupted by the slamming open of the parlor door, and the Countess Weselton stormed into the room. "I've been looking all over this castle for the Queen, where is she?"

Anna jumped to her feet. "What are you doing here?" _The door…_

"You are not welcome in this castle." Kai also rose to his feet. "I must insist that you leave right away, Madame."

_The door…_

"In this god forsaken storm? I'm not going anywhere."

_The…door…! _Anna whirled to Kai. _"Oh, my God, Kai… the door to that attic room didn't have any iron bars on it!"_

The clock struck twelve; and a blood-curling scream could be heard from the far reaches of the castle.

The Countess turned to Anna and Kai. "What on earth was that? What are you two hiding?" She started for the door and Kai tried to stop her. "Let me go now!"

"No, wait!" Anna cried as the Countess stormed out of the parlor. She and Kai followed her into the foyer of the castle.

And then it came, bounding down the great spiral staircase like an animal finally loosed from its fetters. It was larger than any of them expected, at least ten feet tall with a tremendous wingspan. It glared at them and then the Countess screamed. I snarled and charged the Countess, picking her up and throwing her onto the nearest wall. She hit it with a noticeable thwack, and then slid down to the floor. It howled and then crashed into the foyer's double doors and fled out into the night.

Anna sank to her knees and wailed out of fear and anger while Kai went over to the Countess to check on her.

When he looked up his face was white. "She's dead."

* * *

**_I know I said this might take awhile, but I couldn't help it, I had to write. As always, please let me know what you think..._**


	16. Chapter 16

Anna's body undulated with every thrust from her sister above, her back sliding against the satin sheets, and her breathing ragged. Her arms were around Elsa's shoulders and her legs encircled her hips. After many minutes of the exquisite sensations she opened her eyes. "You are… unrelenting tonight."

Elsa could only nod and grunt and she continued to bury herself in the princess below her, her hips surging into Anna again and again. "I need you—and this." She was rock hard.

Anna whimpered, her weeping center soar from Elsa's relentless rutting; it was maddening—and she was practically incoherent in her lustful response. "Give me more."

The blonde's hands fisted in the sheets, and she wanted to be deeper, buried completely in her lover. "How…?"

* * *

Anna screamed again and a half dozen or so castle guards came running into the foyer. They stopped immediately and stared at the shattered doors. Gunnar understood, having remembered from a month ago a similar situation. He ran over to Anna while some of the others went over to Kai and the Countess.

Kai looked up, quickly covering up his near panic. "The storm blew the doors in!"

Gunnar stopped at the princess and looked over to the splintered doors. "My goodness, Your Highness, are you alright?"

The rain blew in from the broken doorway—leaves and small branches littered the foyer, and the remnants of scattered hail.

Gunnar looked about and quickly assessed the situation. "Guards!" Two guards came running up to him. "See to the repair of the doors, now!" They hurried away and he briefly smiled at Anna before moving to Kai and the other guards. "What happened to her?"

Kai stood up. "The Countess was standing at the door when they broke open. The force of the wind sent her flying at the wall here."

The Captain nodded. "You saw this?"

"So did I." Anna stood up and wiped at her eyes. She briefly glanced at the broken body of the Countess and her soul shattered at the sight. _Oh, Elsa…_ "Master Kai and I were escorting the Countess to her carriage when the accident happened."

Everyone turned his or her head when a servant came running from the great spiral staircase. Her eyes had a wild look about them. "Did you see it? Someone tell me—" She looked at the broken door and screamed.

Kai went immediately to the young woman to quiet her down. "Now, it's alright, young lady. The storm has us all a little spooked."

"The storm?" The maid looked like she was going to pass out because of her fright. "What was that thing in the hallway?"

Captain Gunnar went back to Anna but turned his head toward the maid. "What thing…what are talking about?"

The young woman started shaking. "There was a bright flash of lightening… and then I saw it, at the top of the spiral staircase before…"

Anna was shaking, too, but she needed to stop the young maid from saying anything more. "Please, we are all frightened here. But we don't need your wild imagination making us even more so!"

"But, Your Highness—"

Gunnar took a step towards the maid. "You heard Princess Anna, did you not, young lady?"

Kai and Anna locked gazes for a moment, and then the older man turned back to the maid. "Come with me to the kitchens. Let us get some tea, shall we?" He put his hand on her elbow and guided down the hall.

A guard came from the spiral staircase with the Royal Physician in tow, they stopped at the body of the Countess, and the physician bent to examine it.

Captain Gunnar looked on Anna, his concern evident. He took her arm and guided her away from the chaos, towards the large parlor adjacent to the foyer. When they were inside he quickly stoked the dying fire. He then guided Anna towards it and helped her to sit down.

Anna buried her face in her hands and sobbed. The Captain felt his heart wrench at the sight, and he sat down next to her on the divan. He took her hands in his.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Princess Anna?"

The princess leaned towards the man and allowed herself to be held as she cried out her anguish and frustration. But the reality of Elsa outside alone in the blinding storm came crashing down on her, and she cried even more. After many long moments she calmed enough to sit up. The Captain offered her a handkerchief and she gladly took it, smiling at him as she did so.

"Thank you, Gunnar." Anna glanced at the young Captain, wondering if she ought to take him into her confidence. A part of her thought it was a good idea, but another immediately squashed the notion, knowing what Elsa's reaction would be. "Gunnar, if you will excuse me, but I need to see Master Kai."

"Why not let me fetch him for you, Princess Anna?"

Anna put a hand on the Captain's arm. "Would you?"

The Captain stood and bowed, and then quickly departed. Once he was outside the parlor he looked over accident sight again and frowned. Something was wrong, but he couldn't quite place it so he left to retrieve Master Kai.

Anna got up and went over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a small glass of sherry and drank it in one swallow. _Elsa, oh, my poor Elsa…_ She poured another and went back to the divan, more tears flowing.

* * *

Elsa ran her hands under Anna's pelvis and lifted her hips off of the bed, burying herself deeper into Anna. With a great push of her hips she was inside fully, unable to penetrate any farther. She growled low in her throat and for a moment stopped all movement, her mind and body awash in pure pleasure and need.

Anna practically screamed out at the sensation of being completely filled, and she inadvertently clawed at Elsa's back, scratching her wings. "Oh, Elsa… so hard for me, only for me…"

The blonde gasped and began a slow thrust of her hips. "Yes…" She could feel hot sweat pour down her back and onto the sheets, along with Anna's arousal.

The bed creaked rhythmically, its headboard slapping against the wall. They panted as one, clutched at each other as one, and made love like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Captain Gunnar opened the parlor door for Master Kai and they both walked in to find Anna still wiping at her tears. Kai put down the tray of he was carrying and the Captain sat by the princess again.

Kai sat on a chair near the divan and poured himself a cup of tea. "Would you like one, Princess Anna?"

"Yes, with whiskey, please." Anna turned her body towards the Captain and took his hand. "I need your complete trust, Gunnar, in what I'm about to say. Do I have it?"

Kai tried to get Anna's attention by waving his hand, but it didn't work.

The Captain nodded. "You have my word, Princess."

"I need for you to do something for me, right away." Anna saw Kai's frantic effort to get her attention and she gave him a pointed look before turning back to the Captain. "I can't have anyone in my household going on about monsters or things hidden in the shadows. I need for you to remove that maid from the castle immediately."

Gunnar frowned. "But she was only afraid, Princess Anna…"

Anna squeezed Gunnar's hand and smiled. "But servants like her start rumors… and the next thing one realizes is the whole castle is abuzz with rumors of fiends and creepy things prowling about. We can't have it, do you understand?"

Gunnar nodded again, understanding Anna's dilemma. "What would you like me to do?"

"Have a guard escort her to one of the inns in the village for now. There's no traveling any further than that tonight with this storm. But in the morning have her sent back to her family—with a generous stipend, of course. Can you do this for me now, Gunnar? You can come back here when you are finished."

The Captain's eyes lit up at the prospect of returning to the Princess. "As you wish, Princess." He got up immediately to do Anna's bidding.

When he was gone Kai handed Anna her cup of hot tea and whiskey. "That was a smart decision, Your Highness. I'm ashamed not to have thought it myself."

"I find myself in the most tenuous of circumstances, Kai. Elsa is out there—alone, and probably scared." She took a large sip of her tea. "We have to somehow find her before she attacks anyone else."

The Master of the Castle downed his entire cup. "How are we going to do something like that, Princess Anna? She could be anywhere by now."

"But I know Elsa, Kai. She has predictable patterns, don't you think? I mean, she has a schedule for everything." Anna thought about all the times that they made love… _well, maybe not everything_… "What I'm trying to say is, in this circumstance I think she will try to go to, or return to, something that is familiar."

"By familiar are you referring to a place of some kind?" Kai poured himself another cup of tea.

"Yes, I think she'll instinctively go to a place where she feels comfortable and safe." Anna got up and stood closer to the fire, feeling a bit chilled.

"Would she return to the castle, then?"

Anna turned towards Kai. "No, I don't think it would be here. There are too many strangers and guards here for her liking." Anna picked up her cup and drank. "Someplace… of her own making? My god, Kai, do you think she'd head towards her Ice Palace in the North Mountain?"

Kai put down his cup, his eyes wide. "That makes perfect sense, Princess Anna. She knows no one else is allowed to go up there."

"And she made it, by her own hands, with the ice powers." Anna sat back down and regarded the storm outside. "But how do we get there with the weather like this? I really wish Kristoff was here, he knows how to get there."

"Princess Anna, there is a procedure for getting up to the North Mountain. Queen Elsa drew up the plans for it shortly after her return, after the Great Thaw."

"Why don't I know of this?" Anna frowned, wondering at what else she didn't know.

I don't know, Your Highness. But there is a trained unit of soldiers who know how to get there. They can be called upon at any time to fulfill their duty." The older man looked outside the window at the storm. "But we must wait until tomorrow, hopefully the rains will be over by then."

"This waiting is going to kill me; we have to do something tonight!"

"What can we do in this storm, Princess Anna?"

Anna wrung her hands. "I don't know, Kai, I don't know."

* * *

Elsa bound them together, wrapping her arms around Anna, and slowed down her thrusts, prolonging their pleasure. "Feel me in you, Anna," she grunted.

Anna could feel her lower abdomen tighten, and a certain tingling sensation rolled outward from the base of her spine. "Don't slow, please, Elsa…I'm so close…"

The blonde turned her head so that she was panting in Anna's ear. "So close…so close…" She changed her rhythm, and her thrusts shallower, but in quicker succession.

The princess threw her head back onto the bed and her hands fisted in the sheets below her. "Elsa…" The humming increased around her, and she focused on the white-hot sensation of Elsa filling her, until the stars burst around her eyes, and she screamed out her release, wet hot tears rolling down her cheeks as her body floated around a coil of the purest pleasure.

Elsa whimpered and turned Anna's head so that their lips met in a heated kiss, and continued her thrusting. "Oh, Anna…oh, god…" She could feel Anna's contractions around her, as her sister's body milked out her orgasm for the longest moments.

Anna barely hung onto her sanity as her body ached for more, and she needn't have worried if Elsa was going to deliver, because the blonde was still pushing in and pulling out of her, at an unyielding pace. Anna's toes curled as the pulling at her groin increased, and her lips quivered in anticipation.

The blonde felt the change in Anna again, and once more, adjusted herself in order to bring her sister the most pleasure. She wrapped her arms around Anna, molding their breasts together, and smashed her hips against the princess again and again.

* * *

It staggered out in the coldness and the wetness, feeling lost and forlorn, and needing to feed because there was a great emptiness within its stomach. The rain had mercilessly taken away it's will to fight, and it knew, somewhere in the back of its damaged consciousness that it had already taken a life. Some—thing screamed at it, and it did the only thing it knew how to do, fight back. It had raged against the screams and silenced them.

It fled over the great long bridge and found refuge in the lower hills, under an outcropping, and nursed its talons. It was hurt after slamming against the door, and its body ached. After flapping its massive wings it sniffed at the air, taking in the aromas of its surroundings, and honed in on food. The small creatures were everywhere, seemingly oblivious to the thing among them. For at this point it was neither human or dragon, but a gross and hideous amalgam of both, slithering in the woods, and on the hunt. Food. It needed food for strength, and it needed strength for killing the things that got in its way—just as the screaming thing had done to it before it took its life.

The part of it that was still Elsa cowered under the outcropping, and leaked water out of its eyes as a strange feeling stole over it. A feeling that a beast could not fathom, but that a human could; regret. Yes, it—at least a part of it—regretted killing the screaming thing, but the strange feeling was quickly discarded as a low growl emanated from its throat and it lifted its head and roared into the night, its wings beating wildly in time with the roar. A blast of putrid ice shot out of its mouth as it screamed, and its body was thrown backwards against the hard rock under the outcropping at the force of the ice blast.

It stopped screaming, its eyes wide, and its nostrils flaring. It opened its mouth again but this time there wasn't any ice, and it knew frustration again. Snapping its mouth shut, it looked wildly about for the small creatures that were so easy to eat, and quickly snatched up something warm and delectable looking. When it was done it ventured out into the coldness and wetness again, only this time its instinct drove it onwards towards—home. It turned its head towards the north and sniffed at the air. Home. Safety. Aloneness. No screaming things to annoy it. It lifted to its full height and gave its wings a mighty flap, and for the first time, it flew. It was untethered to the world and free, and wished for the simplicity of home. But its flight didn't last long, as it still lacked a tail, a rudder, so to speak.

* * *

Anna cried out again as her whole body shuddered in its second release, one hand grabbing the sheet below her, and the other fisting on Elsa's back. "Elsa… Elsa… what are you doing to me…"

The blonde buried herself deep in Anna and whimpered in agony, her whole body on edge, and desperate for her own climax. "Anna… please…" She pulled out slightly. "I need to… ah, help me…please…"

"Don't stop… don't stop." Anna closed her eyes, feeling an overwhelming love for the woman on top of her.

Elsa started again, the slow deep thrusts that she loved to give and that Anna loved to take. "Please…"

Anna squeezed her eyes shut, and drove all rational thought from her, letting herself feel the moment for the perfection that it was. "Yes, Elsa…feel it…feel yourself take me…"

Elsa groaned, her hips pounding into Anna, her flesh hard and wanting. "Yes…I…I'm inside you, Anna…"

"Yes, feel it…feel yourself inside me…filling me…"

"Yes…" Elsa allowed herself a moment of self-indulgence, and plunged deeper. "I'm…close, Anna…" She wrapped her arms even tighter around the princess, and filled her again and again.

Anna's eyes opened as the muscles in her stomach clenched, and she felt herself falling over the edge again, only this time her release hit her unhurriedly, and her head rolled to the side. "Elsa…oh, Elsa…let it go, for me."

Elsa, incoherent at feeling Anna's walls clench around her again, exploded into the princess below, her seed pumping out in waves. She threw her head back and cried out her release, filling Anna over and over again. After a long while, her thrusts lessened, but they didn't stop for some time, long after her orgasm was over. Finally, Elsa was able to look down, and she captured Anna's eyes with her own. "I…I…am hardly ever at a loss for words…"

Anna's grip on Elsa lessened, and she lowered her legs to the bed. Elsa tried to get up, but Anna stopped her. "No, stay with me. I want you inside, I never want you to leave."

The blonde lifted shaky hands to Anna's cheeks, and softly caressed her. "I don't know if that would be wise."

Anna drew in a deep breath, and clung onto Elsa. "You feel so good inside me. Oh, god, I never thought I would say that—to anyone. Look at what you've done to me, Elsa, made me a lustful creature."

Elsa shuddered, her spine still tingling. "Yes, I know what you mean." She continued to caress Anna delicately. "I love this, I love being with you," she whispered. Elsa trembled again at her own words, feeling an incredible love for Anna. She lowered her head to Anna's shoulder and let out her own deep breath. "Do you want to sleep?"

Elsa started to pull out, but again Anna stopped her. "No, please don't leave. I—just need you, Elsa. I need you badly."

"I'm not going anywhere, snowflake." Elsa could feel herself drifting into Morpheus' realm, but then awoke suddenly when she felt Anna start to cry. She lifted her head. "What is it?"

"Oh, yes, you are, Elsa." She furiously wiped at her own tears. "In a couple hours you're going into the north attic—and I don't know if I'll ever see you again."

"Of course you'll see me again, snowflake, I'll be trapped in that attic for the night and we'll see each other when the morning comes—just like last time."

Anna calmed somewhat. "Are you sure?"

"I am so determined to come back to you, Anna. Nothing else matters to me, and I doubt if there ever will. When this war is over my life is dedicated to you, and our child."

Anna slowly wrapped her arms around Elsa's neck, her trepidation withering. "I really do love you, Elsa. I want you to know this in your heart as you walk into that room. I love you, and I always will."

Elsa lowered her head, and captured Anna's lips in a gentle kiss. Her tongue begged for entrance into Anna's mouth, and the princess easily granted it. They kissed slowly, and unhurriedly, for many long moments, each lost in the other.

It was Elsa who finally broke from the kiss. She smiled down at Anna. "Do you still want me inside?" she whispered.

Anna squirmed a little. "Why do you ask?" But she soon knew the answer, as Elsa began to harden again. She closed her eyes in pleasure and then reached up to whisper in Elsa's ear. The blonde's eyes widened and she slowly pulled out of the princess and lifted off her. Anna smiled reassuringly at Elsa, and the blonde turned the princess over onto her stomach.

* * *

Anna sat with Kai in the downstairs parlor for a few more hours in an attempt to quell her fears, but she was too nervous to sit for very long, and left shortly after Captain Gunnar returned to report of his success. She ventured out into the foyer and at first watched the workmen as they tried to repair the main doors to the castle. But she soon grew weary of it and returned to the part of the castle that only she and Elsa had access to, along with some servants, the floor that had their bedrooms. Anna quietly opened Elsa's bedroom door and walked right in.

It was just as they left it, much earlier in the night. She walked into the bedroom and soon realized that the room still smelled like sex, and they had not made the bed after their arduous love making session. _How is Elsa going to explain this to the maids, or her Ladies in Waiting?_ Anna watched the bed as if it could somehow provide the answers she was looking for, but it was not to be. She could see the imprints of their limbs on the sheets, and she groaned somewhat at the memory of their passion. It was—just as everything was—all so new to her, and she wondered if perhaps she was losing her mind with the implication of it all.

She caught her eye in Elsa's mirror and looked at her reflection, turning sideways to examine her own body for any signs of her pregnancy. Her hand slid down her belly, and she thought she felt a slight distention, but could not be sure, not in the frame of mind she was in right now. _Pregnant…_ Anna blushed and tucked some hair behind her ear. _Good god…what would people think?_ Did she care? Anna stared at her reflection, and soon realized she didn't care what they thought. The only person whose opinion she really cared about was lost somewhere outside, out in the storm, and probably frightened at being so alone. Anna collapsed on Elsa's bed and drew her arms around herself, suddenly feeling so alone, just like that creature outside.

* * *

Captain Gunnar looked about the foyer at the wreckage brought about by the storm. He had asked the workman to give him some time alone at the site, so that he might gather some information from it. After looking about at the leaves and small branches that littered the floor he moved to the actual broken doors, which already been taken down by the work crew and were lying just inside the foyer. He bent down to examine the door and frowned somewhat. It was easy to tell which part of the broken doors that were exposed to the outside, as they were worn differently than the half that was on the inside. He ran his hand down the outside portion of the door and noticed the way the wood was bent. It appeared to be bent outwards.

After examining the first door he moved to the second one and found the conditions to be exactly the same. The wood looked like it was bent outwards, as if something on the inside of the castle had burst through the doors. Gunnar sighed and stood up, and then moved to the doorframe and examined it. He found evidence of wood breaking outwards, and not inwards like the Princess and Master Kai had stated.

Gunnar stepped back inside and looked at the spiral staircase, thinking over what the Princess had had him do to the maid. His frowned deepened and he understood immediately that he had been lied to, and was determined to find out why.

* * *

**_A shorter chapter this time, while I work the repercussions of Elsa's decent into the creature. As always, please let me know what you think..._**


	17. Chapter 17

It skimmed the trees, occasionally falling, reveling in its new ability to fly. After darting in between a copse of trees it landed on the wet ground and shook out its wings. The heavier rains had stopped in this part of Arendelle and now only a stinging mist remained, but the winds remained constant, and blew about the land like screaming harpies. It walked on unsteady legs, its senses forcing it northward. A particularly harsh gust of wind lifted it off its feet and sent it crashing into a nearby horse chestnut. It screamed at the impact, and fractured two ribs. That part of the creature that was still Elsa howled in pain, and it fell onto the ground, arms carefully wrapped around itself. She knew what happened, and cursed her inability to control the creature any more than she could.

Elsa struggled to rise to the surface—she clawed her way through the creature's baser instincts, through layers of pure natural drives—and tried to reason with her reptilian mind. For the brief moment it worked, and she stood up, knowing where she was. But it was a monumental task to try to tame the beast, and her steps faltered as she pushed forward towards her Ice Palace. If only she could keep her mind together for a few more minutes, then she might be able to reason with—it.

But it was strong, and it resisted her will rather fervently. Elsa's mind tried to think of a way to keep her in control—and she cradled her fractured ribs. Pain… that was it. Pain seemed to weaken the creature a little. She stamped on her own foot, and the creature grimaced in pain. Elsa walked a few more steps as herself, the creature momentarily cowering at the physical pain; and Elsa could breathe a small sigh of relief, even though she too was in pain, her mind was able to process it, in contrast to the creature, who couldn't. She hobbled along as the wind battered her, and she moved around a large boulder and then saw her Ice Palace in the distance, and focused her mind solely on it. The creature growled low in its throat, wary of the unfamiliar thing up ahead, but Elsa pressed onward. She hit herself in her cracked ribs as a reminder, and the creature slithered away in pain.

* * *

"Do you trust me, Anna?" Elsa asked, her body shaking with need.

Anna looked over her shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her older sister. "Yes, love, I do. I would have not asked otherwise."

The blonde ran her hand along the princess's back and then over her backside, her touch meant to soothe as well as arouse.

Anna writhed under the touch, and then lifted her hips off the bed. "Please, Elsa, I need you."

Elsa groaned at the offering, and stroked herself before positioning her hips right over Anna's ass. She gently spread Anna's legs apart and then lowered her hips, easily sliding into her sister's warmth. "Oh, yes…" The pleasure was maddening, and she lowered onto Anna's back.

* * *

Anna sat in front of Elsa's fireplace and rubbed her belly absentmindedly, and occasionally looked out the window, noticing the storm's subsidence. The worst part of it seemed to be over, but it was getting noticeably colder, as the remaining raindrops were turning into hailstones. Anna got up and looked out of the window at the storm clouds as they rolled by.

"Are you going to try to get any sleep tonight, Princess Anna?"

Anna shook her head. "No, Master Kai, how can I sleep when Elsa is lost somewhere out there." She wiped at a single tear. "…and it's getting colder, look."

Kai moved over to stand by the Princess. "Yes, there might be a permafrost in the morning." He went over to the fireplace and added more wood. "I would feel much better if you'd at least nap, Princess Anna. Would you care for more tea?"

Anna turned towards the fireplace. "Yes, that would be wonderful, Kai." When the clock struck three a.m. she jumped a little, as it startled her. "You know, I am a bit hungry. What would you suggest?"

"Would you like some eggs with potatoes, princess?"

Anna's stomach decided to growl at that moment. "That sounds wonderful, Kai. May I also have some toast with jam?" She went over to Elsa's overstuffed chair and sat back down.

"Very well, Your Highness. I'll inform the kitchen right away." The older man bowed before leaving.

Anna cuddled into Elsa's favourite chair, and inhaled the sweet scent that was her sister. She closed her eyes, willing herself to stay strong, and not to cry.

* * *

Anna's grabbed onto the sheets below her, and hung on as her body was jerked forward by Elsa's thrusts. "This is so wonderful; the feel of you on me like this."

Elsa grunted and gently grasped Anna's hands with her own. "Hold onto me."

Their fingers intertwined, and Elsa set a comfortable rhythm, her hips slapping against Anna's ass with each thrust. Anna turned her head and eyed Elsa. Her sister had her eyes closed, and had put her full weight on top of her.

The princess trembled and grit her teeth. "Deeper, Elsa…"

"I'm trying, please believe me." Elsa thrust faster, but she could only penetrate so far in their current position. "Anna, give me that pillow."

Anna reached in front of her and threw the pillow at Elsa, who stopped thrusting. "No…! Please don't stop."

Elsa put both hands on either side of Anna's hips and lifted; she put the pillow below the princess's pelvis and lowered her down on it, so that her hips were elevated. She entered her at this new angle and gasped out at the pleasure. "Good god…do you feel that, Anna?"

Anna could only nod, and grasped at the sheets again, every nerve in her body fully alive, and throbbing. "Yes… oh, yes… Elsa…"

Elsa lifted on her hands, and pumped into Anna mercilessly, drawing out strangled groans from the young woman below. "Anna…?"

Anna's body was on fire, her senses on overload from Elsa's thighs slapping against her own. "Ungh…what…?"

Panting, Elsa slowed her thrusting almost to a stop. "I want to touch you." She shivered, her body falling on Anna's.

"How…? God, Elsa—you are already touching me most intimately."

"I want to touch you—with my hand, Anna…please…"

Anna understood. She gently took Elsa's hand and guided underneath her hips to the center of her pleasure. Elsa groaned as her fingers came into contact with Anna's folds; and Anna grasped Elsa's index finger and placed it where it would give the most pleasure. They both gasped at the contact, and Elsa began to buck her hips again.

* * *

Anna awoke to the sound of Elsa's door opening and she sat up. "Who is it?"

"It's just me, Princess Anna."

The princess turned around in the chair and saw that it was Master Kai with a kitchen servant who was pushing a small cart. The servant pushed the cart over to where Anna was sitting and then bowed before leaving. Kai took the other chair that was facing the fireplace.

"I took the liberty of having pastries sent as well, Princess." Kai picked up a cinnamon roll and ate it. "I hope you don't mind."

Anna grabbed a pastry as well. "I don't mind at all." Anna took a plate and served herself some scrambled eggs and fried potatoes. "I'd really love some lingonberry jam, do we have any?"

"Already on the cart, Your Highness." Kai got up and tossed more wood onto the fire. "I ran into Captain Gunnar in the kitchens. He wants to talk to you."

Anna spread the jam onto a piece of toast. "Do you know what he wants?"

"Directly? No, but I have my suspicions." Kai piled a plate high with food. "I think he suspects we lied to him."

Anna's eyes went wide. "How do you know?"

"The way he looked at me. I don't know—it made me feel really uncomfortable."

Anna put down her plate and poured herself some tea. "What are we going to do, Kai? Have him re-assigned somewhere else?"

"That's actually not a bad idea." Kai continued to eat.

Anna nodded and sat back in the chair, her eyes drooping. "I am so tired, Kai."

"Perhaps you ought to get some sleep before morning, Princess, the troop sets off for the North Mountain as soon as dawn arrives."

Anna grabbed her plate again and began to eat. "What are we going to do about tomorrow, Kai. I mean, what explanation are we giving for going to Elsa's Ice Palace?" She poured some lingonberry jam on her potatoes. "We very well can't say we're looking for Elsa."

"We can say that we are partaking in a training exercise developed by the Queen? To see who can reach the North Mountain first, the Queen or us?" Kai offered.

Anna shook her head. "I like that idea; it makes sense, especially since the army is doing training exercises." Anna poured herself some tea.

"Would you like whiskey with your tea, Princess Anna?"

Anna eyed the whiskey bottle. "No, it made my stomach a bit upset yesterday, I think. Just milk and sugar for me." Even though her eyes were drooping, she continued to eat until her plate was empty. "Hmmm… that was good. Thanks for suggesting it, Kai."

"We'll need all the strength we can muster for tomorrow." Kai put down his cup of tea and poured whiskey into it. "How do we account for that smashed door in the north attic, Princess Anna? And for all that awful screaming?"

Anna sighed, a pensive look on her face. "I don't know, Kai. We still have a dead Countess to explain, especially if Captain Gunnar figured out the truth."

"A madman hiding in the Castle, perhaps?"

"But that would make the guards look really incompetent, wouldn't it, Kai. They all were selected as the best of the best. I just don't see that explanation fitting with our current circumstance." Anna sipped some tea. "There must be something that we are missing here; something that will tie everything together nice and neatly."

Kai shook his head. "If there is, then I pray it will come to us before the morn."

Anna put down her plate and leaned back into the comfy chair. "I'll just catch a little sleep, Kai. Please wake me when its time to go."

* * *

"I'm close…oh, god, Elsa…Please…" Anna's body jerked forwards with the power of Elsa's thrusts into her. She pressed her body down on Elsa's fingers, which were still at her center.

Elsa panted with every plunge of her hips on Anna's ass, the action driving her mad with desire. Her rutting against Anna was unremitting, as if her whole world centered on Anna and their shared passion. She felt as well as heard her sister's body shifting under her, on the brink of her release. The princess stopped moving for a brief moment, at her peak, then she undulated and cried out, holding her other hand over her mouth in an attempt to remain quiet.

Anna turned and looked over her shoulder. "Please, Elsa… don't stop, don't…"

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, her release upon her like the rushing of water from a broken dam. She pounded into her sister a few more times, whimpering, until her thrusting lessened, and then stopped. "Anna… Anna… good for me. You are so good to me, I swear." She bent her head towards Anna's, and they shared a tender kiss.

Anna opened her eyes, her body still tingling, reveling in the sensation of being filled. "I never knew pleasure could feel this good."

Elsa nodded. "Actually, I never knew _anything_ could be this good." Her body shuddered with the remnants of her release, and she thrust into Anna a few more times, her seed releasing again and again.

"That's it, Elsa, fill me with your love." Anna grabbed both of Elsa's hands and held them under her head, kissing her knuckles. "So good. Oh, so good."

Elsa dropped her head between Anna's shoulder blades. She glanced up at the clock with tear-filled eyes. "It's almost time for me to go." Her voice sounded strangled, and choked.

"No… please, no." Anna laid her cheek on Elsa's hands. "I don't want you to go."

Elsa wiped at her tears. "My heart is rent in two, Anna. How can I so easily leave you and our child to fulfill my destiny? Believe me when I say this is the hardest thing for me to do. But I have to go, Anna. I could not live with the consequences should I abandon my vocation."

Anna turned around, causing Elsa to withdraw. "Please, hold me."

Elsa opened her arms and Anna fell into them with ease. "Please promise me one thing, Anna."

"Anything."

"If the transformation goes awry, and if I should fall and breathe no more. Please go on and take—"

Anna wrenched free of Elsa's embrace. "No! I can't even think about you dying, let alone talk about it!"

Elsa lifted her body to sit up next to her sister. "We must agree—to an understanding, Anna. I do not wish to die, nor do I think it will come to that. But we must be prepared for all things."

Anna sat, and did not look up to Elsa for the longest time. But she finally nodded her assent. "What do you need me to do, Elsa?"

"Be the strong Queen that I know you can be. If I am gone then lead Arendelle to victory in our war against our enemies. I have faith in you."

Anna immediately understood the huge burden on Elsa's shoulders, she pulled her into a fierce hug. "I will try, but I'm not as strong as you are, I know it." She laid back down on the bed and brought Elsa with her. "I won't disappoint you, I promise."

Elsa nodded, and kissed Anna with a desperate passion. Her hands roamed as she spread Anna's legs apart, and moved between them. "Please…"

Anna sighed deeply, and then whispered, "You know I love it when you are inside me."

Elsa positioned her hips and entered Anna smoothly. But she stilled as Anna gasped. "Anna, are you okay?"

"I am more than alright. It just surprises me how good you make me feel." Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa's waist and pulled her down on top of her. "Come here, Elsa."

Elsa rested her head on Anna's shoulder, and thrust just once, so that she was in deep. "I…love…everything about you, this…" She ran her hands under Anna's shoulders and began to thrust in earnest.

* * *

Everything hurt, from her aching feet to her cracked ribs. The pain almost broke her, but she used it to ground her to reality, and to keep the beast at bay. She stood at the entrance to the castle and momentarily lapsed into the beast, and clawed at the door, but it wouldn't open. It growled in frustration and flapped its dark wings, and lifted off its feet only to kick at the door with its heels. Elsa struggled, and fought back against herself, and collided with the door. The pain drove back the creature again, and it slithered away, licking its wounds. Elsa emerged, in pain, and slightly broken. She used her—hand, claw—and pushed the door open. Her scaly feet prevented her from slipping on the icy floor as she hobbled into the foyer.

Elsa whimpered and moved to the staircase; she collapsed onto the first few steps and the creature howled in frustration. It fought for control and it slowly gained the upper hand as Elsa was weakened by her pain. It rested its head on one of the stairs, and wept bitter tears.

* * *

"Princess Anna?"

Sometime during the late night, Anna moved from the overstuffed chair to the couch in Elsa's parlor. She stirred as a hand gently shook her shoulder. "Hmmm… go away."

Gerda smiled down at the young woman. "I can't do that, Your Highness. I was told to come and wake you by Master Kai."

Anna opened her eyes and groaned. "What time is it?"

"It's five o'clock, Princess." Gerda straightened. "I've taken the liberty and drawn a nice hot bath for you."

Anna sat up and rubbed her eyes. She had gotten only about three to four hours sleep, and was extremely tired. "Thank you, Gerda."

Gerda walked with Anna into the Princess's own room. "I have also selected some appropriate attire for a journey to the North Mountain."

Anna was a bit taken aback. "Master Kai told you about our expedition? What did he say about it?"

"Only that you were going to accompany the elite guard on their training exercise. Oh, and you are scheduled to see Master Steingard for a brief breakfast meeting in one hour."

Anna pretended to already know about the meeting. "Very good, Gerda. And what did Master Kai say about the Queen?"

Gerda helped Anna out of her clothing. "She already left for her Ice Palace. I think it was awfully foolish of her to go by herself, if you ask me."

Anna nodded and stepped into the bath. "Well, you know my sister." She wiggled her fingers for emphasis. "The ice powers."

Gerda picked up the discarded clothes on the floor and put them in the hamper. "Powers or not, she ought not to be alone."

"Are the repairs to the Castle doors complete?"

"Yes, Your Highness, they are… and everything has been cleaned up. I hope it is to Your Highness' liking. If you will excuse me, Princess."

"Of course, Gerda."

* * *

They basked in the afterglow of their pleasure; bodies sated, at least for the time being, and souls joined as one, mingling in their essences. Elsa opened her eyes first and gazed down on her sister. "Anna?"

Anna was still breathing heavily, and reached up to run her hands through her sister's platinum tresses, undoing her plait. "So good…"

Elsa lowered her head for a sweet kiss. Their lips met tentatively, ghosting over the others, each knowing that the time to part was at hand. Elsa closed her eyes briefly and groaned in frustration, her flesh still deep in the young woman below her, and still hard with need. "Let me go," she whispered. She wasn't sure if she was talking to Anna, or her own body, as she tried to quell her desire.

Anna lowered her legs to the sheets, and finally opened her eyes. "Okay." But Elsa still didn't move. "Elsa?"

"Yes?" The blonde's tears dripped onto Anna's neck. "I… I love you, Anna… And I'm so sorry to leave you." She lifted on her elbows, her loose blonde hair falling onto Anna's breasts. "Please, help me to get up, I can't do it on my own."

Anna rolled them over, so that she could easily sit up. "There, Elsa, is this better?"

The blonde nodded, her lips parted slightly. "Thank you."

But neither one of them moved beyond this changing of positions, their eyes locked—something fiery, raw, and primal exchanging in their heated stare. Anna's eyes widened as Elsa stiffened within her, and she whimpered as a flare of the most elemental passion ignited.

Elsa sat up and buried her face in Anna's neck. "We don't… time for this," she mumbled, while caressing Anna's bottom. "Wrap you legs around me." She turned them over so that Anna was on her back. "Anna… please… one more time."

Anna grabbed Elsa's head and smashed their lips together in a bruising kiss. Their tongues clashed, warring for dominance—and when Elsa pounded her hips into her she cried out at the suddenness of the sensation. She grabbed at the sheets, inhaled sharply, and raised her hips at every thrust. "Good god, Elsa… you are… ah…"

But Elsa was caught, once again, in passion's grip, and couldn't control her libidinous urges. "Anna… oh, Anna…" Her thrusting erratic, and her breathing labored. She tried to hold back, as Anna wasn't ready, but her desire was too much, and she reached her peak, crying out as she filled Anna again and again with her seed. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry..."

Anna settled into the bed below her. "Don't ever apologize for this, Elsa. You make me feel so good all the time, even now." She sighed deeply and let the feeling of Elsa deeply inside her fill her with pleasure; her limbs tingled and a hazy warmth rose from their twined bodies. Looking deeply in Elsa's eyes, Anna reached between their bodies, her hand finding her own folds. "Watch me as I pleasure myself."

Elsa stared, enraptured, as Anna squirmed beneath her in an ever-growing urgency, her hand brushing over Elsa's embedded flesh as she pleasured herself. It was intoxicating, and she whimpered with Anna's every stroke. After awhile, Elsa felt Anna's slick walls constrict around her, and her breathing erratic.

Anna's eyes squeezed shut as she hit her peak, and she tumbled into a vast sea of sensations. An incredible warmth crawled up her spine and spread outwards on her quaking limbs. Elsa rode out Anna's orgasm with her, and her hips involuntarily thrust forward with each spasm.

After a long moment they stared into each other's eyes, wrapped in a cocoon of love, and sated desire.

Elsa blinked, and slowly pulled out. "Incredible." She sat up and brought Anna with her. "Everything about you—what we do—is so wonderful, Anna. I can't find the words…"

Anna gently took Elsa's head and brought their lips together. "You have an eloquence, Elsa, I'll never have… of course, you have the words." She hugged Elsa.

Elsa laid her head on Anna's shoulder and glanced at the clock. "It's time, Anna."

Anna closed her eyes. "I know."

They dressed in silence, and then make the long walk to the north attic.

* * *

Anna dressed in the traveling clothes that Gerda selected for her and made her way to the castle dining room. A page opened the door for her and, once inside, she found that Master Steingard was already there. The man stood and made the necessary bow.

"Excuse me, Princess, but I was told to expect the Queen for this breakfast meeting."

"Her Majesty is out with the troop exercises." Anna sat down in the seat normally taken by her sister, a page unfolded her napkin for her. "Who told you it would be the Queen?"

"Oh, I don't know, Your Highness, probably Master Kai." When he sat down the servers brought in the morning meal.

Anna smiled when a server poured orange juice for her. "Well there was a small change of plan when Her Majesty decided to participate in the training." The servants removed the lids from the trays and she began to serve herself from a selection of cold meats, breads, cheeses, various pastries, and fruits. "I trust this is not a problem with you?"

"Absolutely not, Your Highness." Steingard served himself a descent sized breakfast.

Anna wondered where Kai was, as he was supposed to join them. "Did Master Kai tell you about the unfortunate incident?"

"Yes, he did. I am so sorry about the Countess, Your Highness."

"Well, I wasn't referring to the Countess but to the accident in the north attic."

Master Steingard put down his fork. "No, he didn't say anything about an accident."

Anna hated to lie, and she wondered if she could do so effectively. "A guard was accidently locked in the attic overnight and panicked during the storm. He basically burst open the door to get out."

Steingard paused. "I'm not surprised, Your Highness." He ate some cold meat and cheese. "That door was pretty flimsy."

Anna at first was surprised, but she quickly hid her reaction. "It was? I didn't know that."

"Well, Your Highness, since the door isn't located on an outer wall we decided not to reinforce it." He poured himself a cup of tea.

Anna had to control her anger. Elsa was out alone because of this man's hubris. "Oh, I see. So you can see to the clean up and fixing right away?"

"This morning, Your Highness?"

Anna pushed her plate away and stood up. "Yes, Master Steingard, this morning. Good day." She realized if she stayed longer with the man she would have ended up yelling at him.

* * *

The carriage pulled up to the Royal Stables and a footman immediately went and opened up the door. Anna stepped out looked around for Master Kai, but he was not here, either. The troop of soldiers was present, twenty of them, and they were already ready on their horses. Two soldiers were seated on a wagon at the end of the line of soldiers; it was loaded with the necessary supplies needed

A soldier came over to Anna with a horse and handed her the reins. Anna mounted her horse and looked around again, but Kai was still nowhere to be seen. She turned towards the officer who had brought her horse. "Excuse me, what is your name?"

"Captain Reiner, Your Highness."

"Captain Reiner, have you seen Master Kai?"

"I had him arrested."

Both Reiner and Anna turned towards Captain Gunnar, who was just walking up to them from the Royal Stables.

Anna had to use all of her inner strength to prevent herself from reacting too badly. "Why did you have Master Kai arrested?"

"One cannot lie in an official investigation, Your Highness. His account of the Countess's death is extremely suspicious."

Anna blanched, the Captain was basically calling her a liar, as well. "But he's needed on this expedition." She didn't like the way the Captain was looking at her.

"I'm afraid he won't be able to attend, Your Highness. Would my presence substitute for his?" The Captain looked over at the soldiers present, who nodded their agreement.

Anna watched the Captain carefully, and realized she would have to be very careful around this man.

* * *

_**Sorry this chapter took so long, but I've been distracted with school starting-really distracted. Hopefully next chapter will be longer and better thought out. Your reviews are always welcome.**_


	18. Chapter 18

Captain Reiner raised his arm and the company of soldiers stopped at the staircase that led up to the Ice Palace. Anna pressed forward on her horse, tired and soar from the four hour long trek to get there, and brought her horse next to Reiner's. She looked back to Captain Gunnar, who was riding in the back of the troop, before speaking.

"Captain Reiner, I must take you into my confidence."

The Captain nodded before gently spurring his horse in line with Anna's. "Yes, Your Highness?"

Anna dismounted and motioned for the Captain to do the same. Together they walked to the foot of the staircase. "Captain, I do not trust Captain Gunnar. Now, before you say anything please keep in mind that he personally had Master Kai arrested for no good reason."

Reiner glanced back at Gunnar, who just seemed to notice that Anna was not in her horse. "Are you telling me he had the castle keeper arrested without the Queen's permission?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying, Captain." Anna noticed that Gunnar had steered his horse in her direction.

"What would you like me to do with him, Your Highness?"

"For now, keep him from following me into the ice palace." Anna strode over to her horse and retrieved a large bag from it. "We'll discuss further action once I'm back." She proceeded to walk up the stairs and turned her head slightly when she heard quarreling behind her.

Reiner was subduing Gunnar, and preventing him from following Anna.

One of the first things Anna noticed at the top of the staircase was what looked to be blood, frozen on the door in the form of a handprint. She set all of her reticence aside and hurriedly opened the door and stood aghast, as Elsa was laid out naked on the ice floor, her body looking bruised. Stifling the urge to scream, she rushed to her sister's side.

"Elsa…good, God…please don't be dead!" Anna's eyes raked over her sister's naked form. "Please."

Elsa was lying on her right side, amidst a collection of bloody bones. There was an extremely large bruise on her left side, at her rib cage, plus numerous cuts and scratches all along her body and wings. Her mouth was seeping blood. But it was clear that she wasn't dead, as she appeared to be moaning in a fevered sleep.

Anna tentatively reached out and placed her hand on one of Elsa's. "Can you hear me, Elsa?"

* * *

An ice-cold had grasped hers and Elsa's eyes flew open. She bolted upright to a sitting position, then turned her body and vomited on the ice. A hand reflexively reached up to cradle her cracked ribs, and she was shaking in pain. She moved to her hands and knees and her body heaved again, relieving itself of everything vile. Anna was at her side, supporting her body as she continued to heave, and finally the spasms stopped.

Anna gently laid Elsa on her right side again and wiped her mouth clean of the vomit and blood. Even though Elsa's eyes were open, her gaze was fixed, and she didn't appear to be cognizant. Anna opened the large bag she brought with her and pulled out Elsa's clothes, and then she grabbed the flask of water and tried to pour a little bit into Elsa's mouth.

The blonde lifted her head and roared, her voice barely recognizable, and swatted away the flask. She was on Anna in an instant, sniffing at her body as if she was still part creature. Anna tried to push Elsa off but the blonde had a tremendous strength that she was no match for. "Elsa, please listen to me. It's Anna—your sister."

Elsa blinked, but then continued to sniff at the young woman below her. She growled, and then became impatient with the cloth separating her from the female in her grasp. Her hands tore at Anna's clothes, but she was still off kilter, and Anna was able to slip from beneath her to roll away.

Anna stood up and backed away. "You have to listen to me, Elsa! This is not you! Please come back to me…"

Elsa used the power of her wings to easily glide to her feet. She stretched out her wings a full seven feet and lifted her head to roar into the daylight.

Anna looked down and cringed; Elsa was obviously ready to mate. "Oh, no…"

The creature that was Elsa took a step forward, but then quickly cringed at the pain in her ribs; and for a brief moment it was Elsa who was staring back at Anna, a confused look on her face. But with the next step the creature was back, advancing on Anna with its intention made perfectly clear. But then it did something extraordinary.

Anna watched as Elsa lifted her left hand and struck her own side, where she was bruised. She fell to her knees, her breath knocked out of her by the impact of sensitive skin on cold ice. Elsa's eyes cleared again as the pain became almost unbearable, and she held out her hand to Anna, who quickly rushed to take it. This time the human contact grounded Elsa to the present, and the creature slithered away back to the recesses from which it came.

The blonde sank to the floor. "Anna…?"

Anna cried out, and cradled Elsa in her arms. "Yes, Elsa? You're back…oh thank goodness…" Her tears fell on her sister's face, and Elsa raised a shaky hand to wipe them away.

The blonde blinked several times. "Aw… snowflake, please don't cry." She was shaking, her body at its limit. "Cold… I'm oh so cold."

After laying Elsa gently on her back, Anna retrieved the clothes she brought and then began to dress Elsa, starting with her pants. After struggling with them for several minutes she managed to get them on Elsa, and clasped them even though Elsa still had a partial erection. But this simple action took a tremendous toll on Elsa, and she nearly blacked out with the effort to remain herself. After the pants were on, Anna helped her sister to sit up, and with the blonde's help, managed to get her shirt on her as well.

Anna sat back on her heels, completely exhausted. "How are you feeling?"

Elsa struggled to keep her wings flattened, and she had to lean on Anna to prevent from toppling over. "Like a herd of reindeer has trampled me."

Anna flitted with the idea for just a second, and wondered if they really had. "You look terrible, Elsa."

The blonde glanced at her sister. "I feel terrible, Anna." She settled into Anna's embrace, and looked around. "We're in my Ice Palace?"

Anna caressed Elsa's cheek. "Yes, I kind of figured you would end up here."

Elsa licked her dry lips. "How… how did you know?"

"I know you, Elsa." Anna leaned down and placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead. "I am so happy to see you alive."

Elsa closed her eyes and moaned in pain. "Can we go home now?"

"Do you think we need to go Valley of the Living Rock?" Anna looked to the bag she brought. "How are we going to get you outside?"

"Whoa, Anna. First things first, can you help me to stand?"

Anna took hold of Elsa's right arm and slowly Elsa made it to her feet. But then Anna's eyes went wide and she stood back, staring at Elsa unbelievably. "Oh, my… Elsa, you… you…"

"What?" Elsa looked down at herself, trying to see what had startled Anna so much. But nothing stood out to her. She looked down to Anna and then realized… "Anna, have you shrunk a bit?"

Anna shook her head, and then stepped up to the blonde. "Elsa, you have grown." She reached up to touch the top of Elsa's head, and realized that her sister was more than half a head taller than she was before. "This is incredible."

Elsa swallowed the lump in her throat. "How are we going to explain this?"

"Elsa, I think we need to go to the Valley. The magic there is—real, I know it."

Elsa nodded, and then she turned and hobbled over to the bag that Anna brought. "Is there any food in this thing?"

Anna looked over to the pile of bloody bones on the ice and then had to resist the urge to vomit. "Are you sure you're hungry?"

Elsa turned to where Anna's eyes had wandered and her heart sank. "What in the world…" She turned back to Anna and sank down to the ice floor. "I see what you mean."

Anna was at her side and dropped down to sit next to her. "I'm sorry, Elsa."

"What has happened, Anna?"

Anna was torn, not sure what to reveal with Elsa in such a vulnerable position. "We can always talk later if you're not feeling up to it."

Elsa glanced at Anna before dropping her gaze to the floor. "There is something you're not telling me."

"I'm not sure if now is right time to tell you, Elsa. We need to get out of here first."

"What does it matter where we are?"

Flustered, Anna spoke a little too harshly. "Because I want us both to be completely safe, Elsa!"

Elsa wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. "Alright. You think we ought to go to the Valley of the Living Rock?"

"I think it's the best decision for now. But there is something that needs your immediate attention, Elsa."

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"Captain Gunnar had Master Kai arrested."

"What, on whose authority? Certainly not mine!"

Anna cowered at the look in Elsa's eyes. "It's something he did on his own, I just found out this morning."

"Anna, you are the Princess of Arendelle, with an authority almost equal to my own. How did you let this happen?"

"We can talk about how it happened later, which I will gladly explain. But he's outside right now and Captain Reiner has him subdued."

Elsa gritted her teeth and stood her tallest. Then she straightened out her clothes. "Did you bring my officer's coat?"

Anna reached into the bag and then handed to coat to Elsa. "Yes, I did."

"Follow me."

* * *

Elsa opened the doors to her ice palace and looked out at the soldiers gathered at the bottom of the staircase below. They immediately stood at attention when they saw her; so did Captains Reiner and Gunnar. The latter took a step back at seeing Elsa, as if he wasn't expecting her to be there.

Anna stood at Elsa's side, and occasionally glanced at her sister, to get non-verbal clues as how to act in this situation, which the Queen gladly gave.

The Queen walked down the stairs and glared at the Captains. "Captain Gunnar!"

Gunnar stepped forward, and swallowed most audibly. "At your service, Queen Elsa."

Elsa reached the bottom stair and stopped, giving herself a noticeable height difference with the Captain. "You overreached your authority, Captain, in arresting Master Kai."

"But, Your Majesty—"

"Do not question my authority, Captain! Or do you fancy a demotion for your insolence?" The effort to stay upright was excruciating for Elsa, and she could feel the sweat pour down her back and irritate her wings. "You are to report back to Arendelle immediately and release Master Kai from prison. If you refuse to do your Sovereign's bidding you will regret it. Are we clear, Captain Gunnar?"

Gunnar's face went red, from embarrassment and anger, but he held it in check. "Yes, we are, Your Majesty."

Elsa realized she wasn't through with this man, but there were more important things to done right now, and she trusted Captain Reiner to do her will. "Captain Reiner, you and your soldiers go with the Captain to make sure my will is done."

Reiner smirked slightly. "Of course, Your Majesty."

At this point Anna stepped forward. "We will require the use of the wagon, so leave it with us."

Elsa motioned for Captain Reiner to step forward, and then she stepped off the stairs. When the man was close she lowered her voice. "When Maser Kai is released have him enact General Order number five. Can you remember that, Captain?"

"Yes, Your Majesty—general order five."

"Good. Now go and escort that miscreant back to Arendelle, Captain—and if he causes trouble have Master Kai arrest him."

Captain Reiner saluted then walked away to do his Sovereign's bidding.

* * *

Anna walked down the staircase and stood by Elsa. "I don't trust Gunnar, Elsa."

Elsa didn't speak for a long time, and then finally turned to her sister. "What does he know that I don't?"

"Please, Elsa, we can talk about—"

The Queen watched as the soldiers finally disappeared from view, and then bent over in pain. She hobbled away from Anna towards the carriage. "Why can't you answer a simple question, Anna?"

Anna's eyes widened. "I promise to tell you everything, Elsa, once we are in the Valley."

The blonde leaned against the wagon and let out a ragged breath. "I'm counting on you to do so, Anna—please don't disappoint me. Now, come here."

Anna timidly moved to Elsa's side. "Yes, Elsa?"

Elsa leaned on Anna. "Please help me into the wagon, Anna."

* * *

Anna, reins in hand, sat in the front of the wagon and guided the horses through the grove of trees on the way to the Valley of the Living Rock. She carefully followed Elsa's directions as the Queen seemed to know by instinct which paths to take to get there. What Elsa didn't tell Anna was that she was feeling a pull—a certain tugging—from Yggdrasil itself, and was following it as they went. The closer to the Valley they drew, the stronger the pull was on Elsa, and so was the calling of the dragon. She could feel it deep within her, struggling to break to free, and she had to use all of her reserves not to succumb to it.

The dragon was beckoning to her, and so were its desires. Elsa looked up from where she was sitting in the back of the wagon and watched Anna, her hunger growing. She squeezed her eyes shut, in the hopes of quelling her instincts, but it was in vain.

Anna jumped slightly when she felt Elsa embrace her from behind, and rest her head on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Elsa?"

The blonde whimpered, but tried to cover it up with a cough. "Yes, ahem…I'll be alright."

Anna felt Elsa squirm behind her, and soon felt the reason why. "Elsa…" Anna responded immediately to Elsa's heated body; her own desires strong—the calling of Fimbulvetr clear.

The blonde groaned in Anna's ear. "I… can't believe this, Anna. But, I need you."

Anna maneuvered the wagon over to a nearby copse of trees, partially hiding it, and then turned in Elsa's arms. Their lips met in a heated kiss, and Elsa wrapped her arms around Anna's waist. But she drew her in too quickly, and her cracked ribs protested, causing her to abruptly release the princess. Anna fell to her butt on the wagon seat.

Elsa was horrified. "I'm sorry, so sorry." She tried to bend down, but ended up clutching her side and falling to her knees. Alarmed, Anna got down from the bench and then spread out several blankets on the floor of the wagon. Then she helped Elsa to lie down on them.

"Maybe you need to get some rest, Elsa." Anna folded up another blanket and made a pillow for her sister. "Here, rest you head on this."

The Queen rolled onto her side, her eyes drooping, and pain overriding pleasure. "Maybe some more rest, yes." She was asleep within minutes, and her dreams were filled with an image of a giant white tree, with a dragon in its branches.

As Yggdrasil tugged at Elsa's inner self, so did Elsa's psyche heave at Anna's—such was the way of the dragon.

* * *

Anna awoke just as the sun was sinking below the western mountains, and noticed that Elsa was sleeping behind her, arm wrapped around her waist. Anna sighed, and snuggled back into Elsa's warm embrace. She wasn't afraid of the coming night, as they were so close to the Valley, and its magical properties. Elsa stirred behind her and mumbled something in her sleep, and pressed her hips into Anna's bottom. Anna's breath caught, as the blonde began to move, pressing herself into Anna.

Elsa's eyes slowly opened, and the first thing see became aware of was the warm body of her sister in her arms, and her growing arousal. "Anna?"

"Hmm, yes?"

"Where are we?" Elsa felt her wings flutter a bit, and her flesh began to lengthen, so she reached between their bodies in an attempt to coax herself to stop.

Anna reached behind her and stopped Elsa's hand, her own needs surfacing. "No, I need this, Elsa. How can I ever deny you when you make me feel so good—and right now I just want to feel good." She managed to wiggle out of her jacket without getting up and Elsa tossed it aside.

Elsa blinked a few times, and she unclasped her pants without saying a word. After gently pushing Anna onto her back she carefully crawled between her legs and slowly pushed up her skirt to her waist. She whispered, "Anna, I thought I'd never see you again…ugh…"

Anna's back arched, and she inhaled sharply at the penetration, but Elsa didn't move at first. "What is it?"

Their voices didn't rise above a whisper. Every word—sound—like a softly spoken prayer.

"Our unions—what they mean to me—it's almost too much to bear." Elsa pressed in as far as she could go, and then tensed her buttock muscles in the slowest rhythm possible, causing Anna to tingle all over. "You are everything to me, Anna."

"Oh, yes… oh, Elsa…" Anna wrapped herself around her sister and held on tightly, enjoying the slow and easy pace. "You are so wonderful."

Elsa buried her face in Anna's neck, and gently ran her hands along her arms with the barest of touches. She moaned, thrusting her hips very slowly before winding her arms under Anna's shoulders. "I…love being in you like this…ah…ugh…"

Anna's thighs squeezed Elsa's hips and she groaned, feeling overwhelmed by the sweet pleasure. "That's it, just like that…yes…"

Their lovemaking was unhurried, bodies and souls joined—tethered as one, soft touches—nimble fingers seeming to know just where to caress, and how.

"Anna…" The tempo of Elsa's thrusts increased, and she clutched at the blankets to anchor herself to the moment.

Anna whimpered in her need, feeling her heart reach out to her older sister, and her body's excitement heightened. She began to buck her hips in time with Elsa's thrusts into her, and it wasn't long before she felt that familiar tugging at her center, her inner walls contracting around the hardened flesh. "Elsa…" The waves of her pleasure crested, and she spilled over the precipice of desire, gripping tightly onto Elsa as she rode out her release.

The Queen continued to thrust, and she raised on her elbows as she felt Anna's orgasm wash over her. Her stomach muscles clenched tight, and her length hardened even more, which caused her to writhe uncontrollably—and she pounded into her sister below as her body coiled in anticipation. When Anna reached under her trousers and grabbed her bottom she exploded, and a million tiny stars flooded her vision and twinkled out as she pumped her seed again and again.

They panted together as the aftershocks of release gripped them both—bodies tingling, hearts soaring to that place that existed only for them.

* * *

Anna sighed in utter contentment and pulled at Elsa's shirt, attempting to take it off her, but Elsa took hold of her hands and stopped her. Anna looked at her quizzically. "You don't want to be naked?"

"Not right now—I'm enjoying this too much."

Anna's smile slowly grew. "Yes, you do, don't you? You love it when we make love with some of your clothes still on. Why?"

Elsa blushed and buried her face in the crook of Anna's neck. "I don't know," she mumbled.

Anna chuckled. "I guess we all have our secret desires, don't we?"

Elsa turned her head and kissed Anna's neck, just under her earlobe, and the princess shivered. "We all do." Her flesh hardened again, and Anna squealed in delight.

* * *

The trolls were scattered about the base of Yggdrasil, on the flat circular stone, cocooned in their "rock" states of being. Kristoff walked among them, an ancient scroll in his hand, and wearing an even older waistcoat of chainmail over his battle shirt. Gone were his provincial iceman clothes, as he now outfitted himself accordingly as a knight ready for battle. The shaman, Hølje, helped him in reading and interpreting the ancient writing, and he now perused the scroll while keeping watch over his kinsmen.

Kristoff looked up as Hølje approached him. "I thought you were meditating, Master Hølje."

The young shaman wore a pained expression. "I thought you'd like to know that Jörmungandr approaches Yggdrasil, seeking answers, once again."

"A dragon is coming?" Kristoff threw down the scroll and reached for the sword at his side, but Hølje held up his hand to stop his action.

"Remember, Kristoff, that Queen Elsa is Jörmungandr."

Kristoff looked embarrassed for a quick moment. "I'm sorry—I forgot. The Queen is coming? Is she bringing Anna with her?"

Hølje saw the hopeful look on Kristoff's face and realized that the former iceman still had yet to understand the prophecies. "Yes, Kristoff, the princess is with the Queen."

"How far away are they, do you know?"

The sun never set in the usual way in the Valley, and time was relative. "They will arrive with the coming morning, as time goes outside of Yggdrasil."

Kristoff picked up the scroll he dropped. "I wish I knew if she was alright." He straightened out the chainmail. "Do you know, Hølje?"

The young shaman's eyes locked with Kristoff's, and he kept his knowledge to himself. "I don't know."

Kristoff watched Sven graze in the distance, his eyes looking beyond Yggdrasil, in a vain attempt to understand everything going around him. "Oh, Anna, what are you doing?"

* * *

The morning was just set to break over the mountains when Elsa awoke to an unfamiliar sound. She immediately rose and clasped her trousers and then saw Anna leaning over the wagon's side, apparently vomiting.

Elsa immediately went over to Anna's side. "Anna, you're sick." She reached behind her for a cloth and gave it to her sister.

Anna's face was white. When she was done she sat back on her heels. "Can I have some water?"

"I should have left you with Captain Reiner; you could be in your warm bed in the castle."

The princess drank from the flask Elsa handed her. "I'm not sick, Elsa, I'm pregnant."

Elsa's cheeks flushed, and she had to stop herself from grinning like a fool. "Are you sure you're not sick?"

"I read about this, Elsa, after you told me—and I asked the royal physician."

"My physician knows you're with child?" Elsa was startled.

"No, Elsa." Anna sat back in the wagon. "When I was dating Kristoff—when I thought I was going to marry him—I asked him about what having a baby would be like."

"Oh." Elsa scooted back into the wagon. "I guess I never realized that you were once that seriously involved with him."

"Stop brooding." Anna drank more water, then wiped her mouth with the cloth.

Elsa opened one the baskets and found some food. "I'm not brooding." She glanced back at Anna. "I assume you're not hungry?"

"I'm actually quite famished. What have you found?" Anna looked down, and her eyes went wide in utter surprise.

"What?" Elsa followed Anna's line of sight and looked down to the blanket that her head was resting on; and she saw her horns lying on it. "What on earth…" She reached up and touched the top of her head, to where the horns once were, and found a small amount of blood. Her eyes locked with Anna's—both were startled and a little frightened by the incident.

Anna, her mouth hanging open a little, spoke first. "What does this mean, Elsa?"

But the Queen didn't answer, as her mind was pondering over her situation very carefully. A particular thought occurred to her so she quickly unbuttoned her shirt and took it off. She tried to flex her wings but couldn't "Anna, pull on one of my wings."

"But I don't want to hurt—"

"Do it!" Elsa breathed in deeply to calm herself. "Please, Anna, do it for me."

Anna took hold of Elsa's wing and tugged on it; it didn't budge. "Elsa, nothing is happening…"

"Harder." Elsa braced herself.

Anna yanked on the wing again, and it popped out of Elsa's back with a squish; the remaining slit immediately began to bleed.

Elsa fell onto her stomach and clutched at the blankets. "The other one—now!"

Anna grabbed at the remaining wing and it popped out just like the first one. She brought a cloth over to Elsa's back and dabbed at the bleeding slits. "Oh, god, Elsa—what is the meaning of all of this?"

Elsa panted from the pain, and glanced back at Anna. "Get me to Yggdrasil, Anna, please… I need to be in the Valley."

Anna swallowed her own discomfort, and immediately went sit on the bench. She gently roused the horses into moving. They, too, were drawn to the Valley of the Living Rock, and needed no further coaxing to move in the right direction.

Elsa closed her eyes, and groaned when the wagon began to move. One thought percolated into her consciousness. _The time of your infancy is over…_

* * *

**_As always, your thoughts, and feedback, are most welcome..._**


	19. Chapter 19

"An ash I know there stands,

Yggdrasil is its name,

a tall tree, showered

with shining loam.

From there come the dews

that drop in the valleys.

It stands forever green over

Urðr's well."

The great white tree at the center of the world hummed in anticipation, for Midgard's great serpent, Jörmungandr, was near. Yggdrasil shook imperceptibly, and the insulting messenger squirrel, Ratatoskr, ran from its branches to its three roots, delivering messages to and fro, in an attempt to appease the many creatures excited by the arrival of the wyrm.

The stag, Dáinn, who was sleeping at Yggdrasil's base, awoke and summoned it's kin with a great roaring howl. Dvalinn leapt from the surrounding forest, and greeted his kin by shaking his antlers. "What news, o hart? Why doth Yggdrasil shake in anticipation?"

Dáinn reared up on his hind legs, hooves clawing at the air. "Jörmungandr returns—has passed through the cleansing fire, and still lives."

The great red deer bit at Yggdrasil's lower branches. "We must inform the shaman at once. Ratatoskr!"

The insulting squirrel appeared from the three roots and glared at the stags. "I owe you nothing, Dvalinn, not even one message!"

"Not even for Jörmungandr's return? What will the great serpent do upon hearing the news of your refusal?"

Ratatoskr relented, and hissed at the stags. "I will not risk the wrath of Midgard's great wyrm. But heed my words; this is the last time I will deliver for you, unworthy hart."

"Call Duneyrr, and Duraþrór!" Dáinn shouted at Dvalinn. "Announce the good news all along the three roots—to the Æsir, the frost jötnar, and among the Niflheim—to the ends of the world. To all the realms and the creatures therein!"

* * *

The wagon plodded along the hidden paths through the Valley of the Living Rock, guided by Elsa's unwavering sense of direction. At the moment Midgard's great serpent was sprawled along the floor of the wagon, feeling completely spent and exhausted from her exertions. Anna sat at the bench and held the horse's reins, occasionally glancing back at Elsa, who was shivering slightly, even though the weather in the Valley was rather pleasant, unlike the cold in Arendelle.

Elsa groaned rather loudly when one of the wagon's wheels hit a small bump, and Anna turned sharply towards her. "Elsa, are you still in pain?"

"A little bit, Anna." Elsa attempted to sit up but her sister was at her side in an instant, and stopped her. She looked at her quizzically. "Yes?"

"You need to stop moving and get more rest, Elsa. We aren't even in the deep forest, yet." Anna reached over Elsa and grabbed another blanket and put it over her prone form. "You've lost blood, Elsa, and I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing."

Elsa rolled onto her back and then winced at the discomfort, so she moved back onto her side. "It's my back that hurts, Anna. You know, where the wings were."

"That is where you lost a lot of blood. It's a strange thing, don't you think—your wings and horns coming off just like that."

Elsa glanced at her sister. "Well, when you put it that way, yes it is. But I have this feeling that they will be coming back." Elsa pulled the blanket up to her chin. "I'm still hungry, Anna—and I'm not comfortable." She sat up and leaned against the side of the wagon. "Can we eat something, please?"

"You don't need my permission, Elsa." Anna lifted the lid off a basket and looked inside. "Let's see what we have here."

Elsa wrapped the blanket around herself and watched as Anna pulled food out of the basket and delicately placed it before her. "It looks like soldier's rations."

Anna looked up and smiled. "Some of it is. But I had the cooks make some delicacies just for us." She placed a large piece of chocolate cake in front of Elsa. "This is just for you."

Elsa's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Of course."

Elsa took the fork Anna gave her and picked up the plate. "What are you going to eat?"

"Never mind me. I want you to have all your strength—I have a feeling you are going to need it."

Elsa was about to respond when her body stiffened. Yggdrasil was pulling at her subconscious, and she felt its magic percolate to her deepest recesses. It wasn't only Yggdrasil, but the tug of the dragon, Jörmungandr. Her head wounds began to itch, and the healing slits on her back began to twitch. She tossed the fork aside and put down the cake. "It's calling to me, Anna."

"What is?" Anna ate a handful of dried cranberries.

"Everything that is part of my destiny—being Jörmungandr, and the calling of the white tree." Elsa rubbed the top of her head. "My kin are waiting for me; I can feel their anticipation."

Anna just sat where she was, dumbfounded on what to do or what to say, until the silence became uncomfortable. "I am lost on how to help you with this burden, Elsa."

"Don't be," Elsa said. "This is for me alone to bear, and I don't want you worrying; it might affect the baby."

Anna absentmindedly rubbed at her protruding stomach, and frowned. "I don't want my baby born in wartime."

Elsa looked up and pinned Anna with a sharp look. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you and the baby are safe, Anna. This is the one promise I know I can make." She saw how Anna shrank back a bit and her features softened. "I'm sorry for being so abrupt, Anna. Come here."

Anna put down her plate of food and moved over to the blonde. "I know you didn't mean to be so harsh. I think you're more worried than I am." She closed the distance between them and allowed Elsa to hold her. After a few minutes, she sighed deeply and let her body relax. "Thank you."

Elsa smiled down at Anna. "For what?"

"For loving me as I know you do—and for taking care of me, too."

"I'm afraid I've been woefully inadequate in those regards." Elsa held onto Anna tighter, and pulled the younger woman into a fierce hug.

Anna turned her head. "How so?"

"Just look at the position you and I are in. Having to come here to the Valley again, seeking answers, instead of taking care of business back in Arendelle."

Anna stiffened in Elsa's arms, and wrestled with the knowledge of the dead Countess, realizing that Elsa needed to know now. "Elsa, about Arendelle…"

Elsa could feel Anna's anxiety. "What's wrong, Anna?"

Anna disengaged herself from Elsa's embrace and sat up, turning around so that she faced her. "I need to tell you something, Elsa. I should have told you this back at your ice palace, but I was afraid, and didn't know how to."

A warning flashed in the back to Elsa's mind, and she sat up. "What has happened?"

"Elsa, the Countess is dead."

Whatever Elsa was preparing for, it certainly wasn't this. The news struck her like a subtle blow. "Aida is dead? How?"

Anna was taken aback by the blonde's obvious distress. "It was an accident, Elsa. It certainly wasn't anyone's fault."

Elsa's heart sank as she realized Anna's vagueness. "An accident? What aren't you telling me, Anna?"

The princess lowered her head and didn't answer right away. But her inner voice was screaming at her to tell the truth. "The attic room didn't hold you, Elsa. Remember, we found you in your Ice Palace."

"I figured out that much, Anna." Elsa's eyes widened and her hand reflexively went to her mouth; her shoulders slumped. "Oh, my god, I killed her, didn't I?"

"You didn't mean to do it, Elsa!"

The Queen scrambled to her feet, but then her knees gave out and she fell to the blankets. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier, Anna? Oh, my god… you let me…we made love, Anna! And you let this news remain unspoken? How could you?" Elsa was beside herself in grief and self-recrimination. She shakily got to her feet and attempted to leave the wagon.

Anna grabbed hold of the blonde's arm. "Elsa, please wait…"

Elsa jerked away from Anna's hold. "I don't want you near me right now!"

"I'm not letting you go anywhere, Elsa! Look, I'm sorry for not telling you right away. I didn't know how to do it, and we were still in the presence of the soldiers!" Anna took a step toward Elsa but the Queen backed away. "You were weak and vulnerable…"

…And I'm not now?" Elsa sighed heavily, and leaned against the side of the wagon. After a long while she was finally able to look up. "I need a little time to myself. Take the wagon to Yggdrasil; the horses know the way." She scooted to the back of the wagon to gather a few provisions, then left without saying another word.

* * *

Elsa slung the pack over her shoulder and walked along the ancient path, her senses knowing the way to the giant white tree. She had forgotten to put on her boots, but the hard scales on the bottom of her feet made it possible for her to walk without too much discomfort—at least, physically. Her heart was another matter as she was feeling a tremendous amount of heartache at the moment. Part of her misery was her self-mortification at the Countess's death, and that she caused it, although she had yet to find out how—and she was still quite angry with her sister for keeping the news from her.

She plodded along, her head drooping.

_The attic room didn't hold you, Elsa_. She groaned at the memory of Anna's words; and this was her fault, as well. She had designed the fortifications for keeping the north attic secure, and her plans had failed somehow. _Where did I go wrong? I made sure everything was in place, and inspected the progress myself, along with Master Steingard_. Her design left nothing to chance, so its failure caused a deep fissure within, and her soul was, once again, rent in two. _You lashed out at Anna again, knowing how dependent she is being pregnant—and with your child!_

Elsa remembered her own words and promises to keep Anna safe and protected, and she was hardly living up to her own declarations at this point. So, she was a failure at this, as well. She had failed to keep Anna safe, and in doing so, had caused the death of another.

She stopped and reached into the pack to retrieve a flask of water and drank its entire contents. Elsa put away the flask and noticed that the sounds of the wild had ceased. The song of birds was gone, and the cricket could no longer be heard. Elsa looked all around her surroundings; the only sound was the slight rustling of the wind through leaves and branches. Her mouth opened slightly as she reached out with her dragon senses to grasp at what was affecting the land.

_Jörmungandr…Jörmungandr…Jörmungandr… _

"Yes?" Elsa whispered, and then her eyes snapped open. There, in the distance, was an enormous stag, standing in the middle of the ancient path, and watching her. She stood tall and had the sudden wish to have her wings back, to give herself presence. Her eyes locked with the stag's, and she felt, as well as heard, it call to her.

"You dally when war is at hand, Jörmungandr!"

Elsa blinked, an irrational anger overwhelming her. "I'm not loitering, I'm on my way to Ygg—" Her words were cut off by the sudden appearance of the animal right in front of her.

"You abandon your mate in her time of need!" Dáinn reared up clacked his hooves together.

A dusting of frost escaped Elsa's hands. "What? No, I…I…" She backed up when the creature's massive head came down level with her own.

"I am Dáinn, o mighty Jörmungandr—a humble servant who does not wish to incur your wrath."

"Uh huh." Elsa wasn't convinced that this creature meant her no harm. "Then why the accusations?"

"It is my duty—and the duty of my kin—to see that the prophecies are fulfilled. Did you not think your actions would be scrutinized, or watched?"

Elsa blanched, hoping that not all of what she did was observed. "How can you see the things that I do?"

"How can Yggdrasil exist on this world and yet reach into many, Jörmungandr? Your question is meaningless to us."

Elsa blinked, and then stepped up closer to the stag. "Is Anna alright?"

"She falters on the boundary of the deeper forest, afraid to enter without you—afraid of Yggdrasil and her own misgivings."

"Misgivings?" Elsa's eyes went wide. "Can you take me to her, please?"

The stag bent down so that Elsa could get on its back, then he bounded towards the deep forest that enshrouded Yggdrasil.

* * *

Anna stopped the wagon at a noticeable boundary in the forest; where the horse chestnuts and beech trees gave way to the impossibly tall and dense conifers. The horses were skittish, as well, and swayed slightly as they stood at the threshold. Anna sat back on the bench and absentmindedly rubbed at her swollen belly. Even though she was a novice at being pregnant, a certain inner voice was telling her that her belly ought not to be protruding as much as it was considering everything. She wished Elsa was with her, and her mind toyed with all sorts of unpleasant thoughts, all threatening to cause her worry.

It felt like hours since she last saw her sister, and even though she new she was quite safe in the Valley, her fears threatened to undo her. It was far too quiet, as if there was a lingering in the air that was stifling all sound. Even the swaying of the trees was somehow muted, and the bubbling springs gurgled without resonance. She was on the verge of panic when she saw something in the distance, galloping toward her at an alarming rate of speed. She turned her body towards the vision, something inside of her telling her that there was no danger on the horizon.

Anna stood up and watched as an enormous deer bounded towards her, and on its back was…

"Elsa?" Anna winced as a sharp pain stabbed at her belly, and she fell to her knees beside the bench.

Elsa saw this in the distance and pressed the stag to go faster. They were at the scene within minutes, and Elsa jumped off the animal's back and ran towards the wagon. "Anna!" She knelt by Anna's side and threw an arm around her.

The princess looked up. "Elsa, I'm in pain."

The blonde wheeled towards the stag. "Find the shaman, now, Dáinn!"

As the animal took off towards the center of the forest Elsa helped Anna into the back of the wagon and laid her down on the soft blankets. "I'm so sorry, Anna, I should never have left you as I did. My own foolishness is without measure." She pulled a blanket up and around her sister. "What can I do?"

Anna visibly relaxed, even though she was still in pain. "I'm sorry, too, Elsa. I should have told you about the Countess sooner."

Elsa smoothed down Anna's bangs. "Shh… none of that right now, Anna. What is happening to you, do you know?"

"Look at my stomach, Elsa. Should it be so swollen like this? I've never had a baby before, but this doesn't look normal."

Elsa sat back on her heels. "I don't know, either, Anna." She cursed Pabbie, again, for leaving too soon, before he could give answers.

Anna was just about to say something when they both heard a noise outside the wagon. Elsa got up to investigate. There were now four giant stags outside, along with the shaman, Hølje. The blonde climbed over the bench to help the young troll inside the wagon. She was about to follow him inside when he lifted up is hand in a signal to stop.

"Let me see to the Princess, Queen Elsa. I will be out shortly."

Elsa sat on the bench and shifted nervously under the watchful gaze of the huge deer. She silently wondered if they could read her thoughts, and she got the distinct impression that they were just as curious about her as she was about them. Finally, the one known as Dáinn took a few tentative steps towards her, and lowered his head so that he could converse with her privately.

"The weight of the world is not easy to bear."

Elsa looked into his deep russet stare. "I don't know about the world, Dáinn, but Princess Anna…" Her voice trailed off as the other stags now moved forward to be near to her.

Duraþrór lowered is head, his antlers touching the wooden bench. "Jörmungandr, how may we be of assistance? We all have taken vows to protect the one that is bound to you. This we will do to the forfeiture of our own existence."

The other stags nodded in agreement and Duneyrr, along with Dvalinn, moved so that they were standing in at the back of wagon, to keep watch.

Silence descended as the stags took their positions at the four corners of the wagon. After a short while Hølje emerged from the inside and sat down next to Elsa on the bench.

The shaman sighed and cleared his throat. "There is no need to grieve your heart, Jörmungandr, the young woman will be fine."

Elsa turned around to face the troll. "But what of her pain—and her belly is too swollen for it to be normal."

"Her pain was caused by the immediacy of her pregnancy. You are in the Valley of the Living Rock, enshrouded in magic and wonders. The enchantment that permeates this land has caused the princess's pregnancy to—accelerate."

Elsa stared at the shaman, her mouth hanging open slightly. "What exactly does that mean for her?"

"If the princess so choses to stay at Yggdrasil, she will give birth to her child in less than a fortnight."

Elsa's eyes widened. "A fortnight—my god. What if she decides to leave?"

"Then her pregnancy proceeds normally, and she will give birth in about six months."

The blonde blew out a ragged breath, completely stunned by this revelation. "Let me be alone with her, so that we may talk about this."

The young shaman climbed down from the wagon and moved to stand with Dáinn. "Remember, Jörmungandr, the decision must be hers. Even you many not interfere in this matter."

* * *

Elsa barely acknowledged Hølje's words as she went inside the wagon. She found Anna sitting up on the pile of blankets, waiting for her. The blonde sat next to Anna and took her hands into her own. "Did Hølje tell you?"

Anna looked up into Elsa's eyes. "Yes, he did, Elsa—and I'm scared. I don't know what to do; I'm so overwhelmed by it all. A part of me thinks that having the baby sooner rather than later is the best decision. What I mean is—I would be safe here in the Valley. But then I think about the problems that would arise if we returned to Arendelle with a baby. What do we say, and do? What if the people rise up against you?"

Elsa nodded. "This is not an easy decision. Anna, I cannot stay that long here at Yggdrasil. I must return to Arendelle as soon as I find my own answers. There is the problem with Captain Gunnar that needs my immediate attention. The Council of the Nobility needs to be made aware of the changes happening to me because of the Prophecies—not to mention the upcoming war. After we inquire of Yggdrasil I return to Arendelle."

After a few long moments Anna finally nodded. "If I decide to stay in the Valley I will give birth without your presence?" There was a certain look of defeat in her eyes.

Elsa saw that look and cringed on the inside, though her look remained neutral. "I am so sorry to be the harbinger of ill news—once again." She dropped Anna's hands and turned away from her. "I'm such a worthless…" The slap on her shoulder startled her, and when she turned back, she faced an angry Anna.

"Stop it, Elsa. I'm so weary of you belittling yourself at every moment. I think you are doing the best you can with everything that is going on." Anna settled back onto the blankets. "I don't think I'd have the courage or fortitude to do it."

"But, Anna…"

Anna lifted her finger and pointed at her sister. "No, stop it now. I will not stand for it one minute longer."

Elsa marveled at Anna's faith in her. "I love you, snowflake."

Anna smiled at that admission, knowing how keenly true it was. "I know, Elsa."

The Queen turned back to face Anna and scooted closer to her. She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "If there is one thing that I do want—it is for us to face all these challenges together." She offered the younger woman a lop-sided grin. "Sorry, but Hølje says I can't influence your decisions."

"I think its entirely too late for that, don't you think?"

Elsa ran her hand over Anna's swollen belly. "Yes, it is." She reached down and slowly pushed up Anna's blouse, so that her stomach was revealed. With an infinite tenderness she peppered gentle kisses all along the exposed flesh, her lips meant to mollify, and not inflame.

But Anna squirmed under Elsa's touch, and soon grabbed at Elsa's head and brought it up, so that their gazes locked. "Elsa…"

The blonde swallowed hard, but had the sense to control herself. "Anna, the shaman is outside, and so are—"

"Send them away."

It wasn't a query, but neither was it a strict command, and Elsa responded to it immediately. "Alright." She crawled to the wagon entrance and peered outside. "Master Hølje?" The shaman was nowhere to be seen, and the stags had moved away from the wagon, to give Elsa and Anna some privacy. She swallowed again and crawled over to Anna, her breathing slightly labored. "He's not…"

"Come here."

Elsa's eyes went wide at the look on Anna's face, so full of lust and want for her. The blood coursing through her body inflamed, and her senses heightened. Like always, it amazed, and brought on a fierce sense of possessiveness. Her flesh began to harden at the sight, and she closed the distance between them, grabbing blindly at the clasp to her pants. She slid along Anna's body and pushed her roughly on her back. "You want me."

Anna groaned as their lips collided, and Elsa's hands roamed all over her still clothed body. She would have Elsa again, and that was just fine with her, as she began to believe in the equitableness of their relationship; and soon Elsa was inside her, filling her and stretching her and loving her with everything that she was.

Their lovemaking was rough and gentle, sublime and incredible, all encompassing, and yet, restricted within a few precious moments; and when both reached fulfillment, they lay together, arms entangled, panting, and well satiated.

Anna lowered her legs from around Elsa's hips, her eyes closed, and spine still tingling. "Oh, my, Elsa…"

Elsa attempted to withdraw, but Anna held her in place. "I don't want to hurt you, Anna, or the baby."

"But you feel so good inside of me, you always do." Anna shivered again as a satisfying warmth settled into her limbs. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of this."

Elsa groaned when her flesh refused to soften, and she bore down on the princess below her. "Oh, Anna…"

Anna responded by spreading her legs farther apart, welcoming Elsa's rough thrusting.

* * *

Yggdrasil's humming intensified, its smaller branches thrashing about as Jörmungandr coupled within its influence; and the many creatures that lived on the heavenly tree grew agitated and darted about nervously, not quite knowing why the mighty tree was swaying with great concentration.

Kristoff, who had constructed a small dwelling, with the help of the trolls, next to the mighty white tree, emerged from it and gaped at the sight. He noticed Hølje off in the distance, riding of the back of one of stags, on his way towards him and waited. Once the troll was near the mountain man called out to him. "Master Hølje, there is something wrong with Yggdrasil!"

Dvalinn bent on his forelimbs so that the shaman could ease off him. "The great white tree is merely acknowledging…"

"…the nearness of Jörmungandr, Kristoff." The shaman fixed the stag with a pointed glance, indicating for him to stop talking.

Kristoff nodded, even though he got the impression that Hølje was holding back something. "Is Anna with her?"

"The princess travels with Queen Elsa, yes, Kristoff."

The mountain man smiled to himself before looking off towards the horizon. "It will be so nice to see her again."

Hølje looked away and frowned. As much as he loved and admired Pabbie, he could not fathom the old troll's reasons for departing this world when he did. He needed his guidance, as he could not figure out how to prepare Kristoff for Anna's arrival, and her pregnancy. He was about to say something when Dvalinn reared up and clicked his hooves together.

"Jörmungandr!"

It was not difficult to see the wagon in the distance, approaching the central tree at a leisurely pace. The remaining trolls emerged from the recesses of the dark forest, and arranged themselves on the flat circular stone around the base of Yggdrasil. They began an almost inaudible chant that surprised and confused Kristoff, as he never mastered the troll's secret language.

"What are they saying, Hølje?"

The shaman hesitated, as he knew the meaning behind the words, and he cringed on the inside. "They are reciting an ancient rite of passage, as when a young one reaches maturity." Hølje glanced at Kristoff, hoping that these words were enough to appease the soon-to-be warrior. They weren't.

Kristoff looked at the young shaman, expectantly. "I don't understand, Master Hølje." He glanced up again at the approaching wagon, and fiddled with the sword at his side. "There is a lot I don't understand."

"When Queen Elsa and Princess Anna arrive your questions will be answered."

Kristoff spared the troll a brief glimpse before fixing his gaze on the wagon again.

* * *

Anna held the reins tighter as the horses began to fidget the closer they came to Yggdrasil. She turned her head briefly and noticed that Elsa was still sprawled on the blankets on the wagon floor; she hadn't moved since their earlier lovemaking. "Elsa!"

The blonde raised her head slightly, and finally reached down to clasp her pants. "Yeah?"

Anna frowned. "Why are you still lying down? We're almost there, so get up!"

Elsa was shaking slightly, as the cry of the dragon was unrelenting. "The call of Jörmungandr is pressing down upon me, Anna. I don't think that I can hold onto myself too much longer." She rose up on her knees and felt a great aching pain from the healing slits on her back, where her wings once were; and the pain radiated from there to hit all areas of her body. "Anna…please…"

The princess whirled around and saw the great distress her sister was in. She dropped the reins and climbed into the back of the wagon. "What is happening to you, Elsa? We are close to Yggdrasil—shouldn't you be feeling better?"

Elsa leaned into Anna. "Please hold me."

Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa without hesitation, and it seemed to make her feel a bit better. "There, you see…"

But Elsa's head rolled toward the top of the wagon and a great roar emanated from her throat. When Anna tried to hold her tighter Elsa wrenched herself free from the embrace and tried to back away from her—her rational mind and the instincts of the dragon at war with each other.

Anna saw the very visible changes happening to the blonde and had to hold back a looming sense of fear. A part of her knew that Elsa would never hurt her, but the dragon was unpredictable, and had committed murder. Anna scooted away from the predatory look in the blonde's eyes as she ripped the shirt off of her.

Elsa momentarily fell to her hands and knees, and her body contorted. "No…no!" She tore off the remnants of her shirt and cried out as the slits opened on her back and new wings began to appear; and they grew at a much-accelerated rate, emerging from her body inches at a time. Anna looked on in horror as the black things, covered in blood and mucus, spread out beyond Elsa's back to reach the sides of the cloth covering of the wagon. But instead of stopping at that point, they stretched even farther, ripping the covering as they grew. Elsa's body writhed on the floor of the wagon, her wings stretching even more and tearing at the wagon.

Anna screamed and the horses reared up in fright, and then they took off at a tremendous rate of speed. She clutched at the bench, holding on desperately, not wanting to die.

Elsa stopped her writhing and looked up slowly, a peculiar look on her face—almost too passive for the predicament they were in. "Stop." Her voice was unusually deep and rough, and held an authority that could not be questioned or denied.

The horses slowly stopped their escape, and after a short while stopped altogether, although they still whinnied at the dragon's command. Anna continued to hold onto the bench tightly, even though the wagon was stopped, and stared at her sister, as if she was looking at a stranger.

Elsa retracted her wings so that she could stand, and when she did there was a fire in her eyes, a look so deep and penetrating that Anna had to look away. "Anna."

The princess pressed herself closer to the bench and looked out. Kristoff was running in their direction. She turned her head and hesitantly looked at…Jörmungandr? "Yes?"

Elsa looked at her quizzically, almost as if she was looking at for the first time. "There is no reason to fear me." Her voice was still deep and penetrative, with a seductive lure laced within it.

But Anna couldn't relax. "Whom am I speaking to?"

"I am Jörmungandr—and yet I am still Elsa, snowflake."

Anna's head whirled around sharply at the use of her nickname, and the tears fell. "Is that really you, Elsa?"

"I am—more than just Elsa, Anna." She stood to her full height and reached up to touch the growing horns on her head. Small rivulets of blood rolled down her neck as they grew beyond her hair.

Anna stared in amazement, and the fear that was in her heart abated somewhat. "I know you won't hurt me?"

Elsa's—Jörmungandr's—eyes widened. "You carry my child, Anna. How could I ever bring you harm?"

Anna's tears fell freely now, and she rushed into the dragon's arms. "I…I don't know what to call you…"

"For you I am always Elsa, snowflake." Jörmungandr stiffened, and low growl deep in its throat. "Someone approaches."

"Anna!"

Anna whirled around just as Kristoff jumped up to the wagon's bench. "Kristoff, wait!"

The dragon extended its wings as far as they could go while still in the wagon, and held onto its mate with a fierce protectiveness. "Tell the man to go away."

"Please let me go—so that I can talk to him. Is that okay, Elsa?"

The dragon relented, albeit reluctantly, and let Anna go with a growl. She turned towards the wagon's entrance and stopped the mountain man from entering. "Kristoff, please, can you give us some time?"

"These horses could have killed you, Anna, and you expect me to believe you are alright!" Kristoff tried to push past Anna, but a dark shadow at her back stopped him quickly. "What in the world…"

Jörmungandr roared and tore at the wagon's cloth covering. It easily ripped the areas that its wings had tore and burst from the seams. It extended its new wings as far as they would go and hovered about ten feet off of the ground. Anna cried out and Kristoff drew his sword, although he hardly knew what to do with it, as the creature that floated in front him resembled Elsa, the Queen. Anna scrambled outside the wagon and pushed the mountain man's sword down and away from the dragon.

"Stop it, Kristoff, or else you'll die!"

The man looked at…Elsa, and her flapping wings behind her, and marveled at the sight. He knew about the dragon, from his research with Hølje, and knew that the Queen was destined to fulfill this prophecy. But seeing it firsthand—nothing in his studies prepared him for this. It was the Queen yet it was not. It was naked from the waist up, and the figure looked female, but there was a noticeable bulge in her pants that confused him.

Kristoff backed off and whirled towards Anna, and then he seemed to notice her for the first time and saw her stomach, which was distended as if she was with child. "Anna, what is going on here? Are you…pregnant?"

"Kristoff, please listen to me…" Anna took a step towards the blonde man.

Jörmungandr fumed, and flapped its wings even harder, sending it in Anna's direction.

"Anna!"

Elsa stopped just a few feet away from Anna and slowly descended until she was on her feet. She openly glared at the blonde man, and a part of her wanted to do him harm. But she fought with Jörmungandr to maintain some semblance of herself, and momentarily held the upper hand. "Kristoff?"

But the moment was over quickly, and the dragon surfaced.

The blonde man looked warily at the Queen. "You're still Queen Elsa, right?"

Jörmungandr stared at Kristoff as if he was an insignificant insect. "I am—and so much more." Its expression softened when it gazed at Anna. "Anna…"

Kristoff watched as the Queen stepped up behind the smaller woman and wrapped a protective arm around her waist. But the gesture failed to soothe him. In fact, it caused him to feel very uncomfortable.

Anna noticed the strained expression on Kristoff's face, and her heart went out immediately to him, as she realized that Elsa had been right: Kristoff was still in love with her. But she understood that at this moment there could be no secrets between them. "You asked me if I'm pregnant?"

"Yes, I did."

"Yes, Kristoff, I am."

His expression changed from one of bewilderment to sorrow very quickly. "I don't understand, Anna—I mean, how?" He threw his sword down on the ground. "Were you with someone when we were together?"

Anna felt Elsa growl behind her and she stiffened. "Can we please talk about it later, Kristoff. We really need to get to Yggdrasil, right away."

The mountain man looked between Anna and Elsa and knew there was a lot more that wasn't being said, but acquiesced anyway. "Alright."

Again, Elsa fought with Jörmungandr for control, and struggled to rise to the surface. "Anna…please, help me." She staggered backwards, and would have fallen if Kristoff had not moved over to help her stand up. "Thank you, Kristoff. Now…" She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again some of the fire was gone, but not all of it. After she retracted her wings, she turned to her sister. "Anna, come with me."

Anna followed Elsa as she walked toward the great white tree, and wasn't surprised when the four stags suddenly appeared to guide them, even though Yggdrasil was within their sight. Elsa wanted answers, and she was determined this time to get them, no matter the cost.

* * *

_**As always, let me know what you think.**_


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